" YOU MEAN THERE'S ACTUALLY A POKEMON CALLED PHILOSOPHICAL?!"

Gary's eyes widened. " Wait, Ash, I didn't mean-"

" YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Ash yelled. " Let's go, Pikachu!"

He ran out the door as Misty walked in with Togepi. " Oh great. There he goes again."

" Pika piiii!" Pikachu ran after Ash but hit the door. " Piii...."

He quickly stood up and ran after Ash.

Misty looked at the monitor. " What's the Pokemon's actual name?"

" We haven't named it yet. But PLEASE don't let Ash name it."

" He already has." Misty sighed.

Gary slammed his head on the table, the coffee spilling a bit. " This is why I don't let Ash do these things."

" Well, there's nothing we can really do now."

Gary groaned. " I know...... Go after him, will ya? And make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Misty set Togepi on the table and sighed. " That's what I'm gonna do."

She threw a Pokeball. " Come on out!"

" Psy?"

" Psyduck, look after Togepi!"

" Psy?"

Misty sighed. " Oh great. Fine then. Staryu, look after Psyduck and Togepi, would ya?*

Staryu hissed in agreement, and Misty ran out.

Misty ran out into the Viridian Forest, the thick canopy of trees above casting mottled shadows on the ground. "ASH!" she yelled, her voice echoing. "WHERE ARE YOU?!"

In the distance, she could hear Ash's unmistakable voice. "Come on, Pikachu! We’re gonna catch the Philosophical Pokémon!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu squeaked in response, sounding just as determined.

Misty sighed, shaking her head. "This boy’s going to be the death of me."

As she sprinted deeper into the forest, the console on her wrist beeped. Gary's face appeared on the small screen.

"Any luck finding him?" Gary asked, still looking irritated.

"Nope," Misty huffed, dodging a low-hanging branch. "But I can hear him yelling, so he’s definitely up to something dumb."

Gary groaned. "Great. Just don’t let him try naming anything else. If I have to live with a Pokémon officially called ‘Philosophical,’ I’ll never live it down."

"I’ll try my best," Misty replied, before ending the call and focusing on the trail ahead.

She finally spotted Ash crouched near a bush, staring intently at something. Pikachu was perched on his shoulder, equally focused.

"Ash!" Misty called, jogging up to him.

Ash looked over his shoulder, his eyes wide with excitement. "Misty! You won’t believe this!"

Misty raised an eyebrow. "What now?"

Ash pointed to the bush. "I think it’s the Philosophical Pokémon!"

Misty peered into the bush and frowned. "Ash... that’s just a Caterpie."

Ash blinked. "No way! Look at how it’s staring off into the distance, like it’s thinking about the meaning of life!"

Pikachu tilted its head. "Pika?"

Misty facepalmed. "Ash, it’s a Caterpie. They always look like that."

"But what if this one’s different?" Ash insisted. "What if it’s having, like, deep thoughts?"

"Ash," Misty said flatly, "it’s a bug."

"Exactly!" Ash exclaimed, completely missing her point. "It’s so deep and mysterious!"

Before Misty could respond, Ash threw a Pokéball at the Caterpie. The ball shook a few times before clicking.

"Yes!" Ash cheered, holding up the Pokéball. "I caught the Philosophical Pokémon!"

Misty groaned, rubbing her temples. "Gary’s gonna kill you."

Ash grinned. "Nah, he’ll thank me. I’m a genius."

Misty muttered under her breath as she started walking back. "More like a walking disaster."

"Hey, wait up!" Ash called, jogging after her with Pikachu and the newly dubbed "Philosophical Caterpie" in tow. "You’re just mad you didn’t think of it first!"

"Keep telling yourself that," Misty replied, though a small smile tugged at her lips.

Suddenly, Ash froze in his tracks, staring at the clearing ahead. A strange, glowing Pokémon hovered in the air, its translucent body shimmering with hues of blue and gold. Its large, expressive eyes seemed to look straight into Ash's soul, and its presence was both calming and unsettling.

Misty caught up to him, panting. "Ash, what now—?" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she saw the Pokémon.

Dexter beeped on Ash’s wrist. "Error. Pokémon data unknown. This Pokémon does not exist in the current database."

Ash’s jaw dropped. "This is it. This has to be the Philosophical Pokémon!"

"How do you know?" Misty asked, narrowing her eyes.

Ash grinned, holding up the Pokéball containing the Caterpie. "Because this isn’t it! I was wrong, Misty!" He thrust the Pokéball toward her. "Here, you take Caterpie!"

Misty recoiled, her hands raised. "No way! I don’t want it!"

Ash blinked, confused. "Why not? It’s super deep and mysterious!"

Misty gave him a deadpan look. "It’s a Caterpie, Ash. There’s nothing deep about it."

"But—"

"Ash!" she snapped, her voice echoing in the forest. "Take your bug back and focus on whatever that thing is!" She pointed at the unknown Pokémon, which was now tilting its head curiously at them.

Ash sighed dramatically and clipped the Pokéball back to his belt. "Fine. But you’re missing out on a really profound Caterpie."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, though it was unclear if it was mocking Ash or agreeing with Misty.

The glowing Pokémon suddenly made a soft, melodic sound, drawing their attention. It floated closer, its eyes filled with what seemed like curiosity—or maybe judgment.

Ash grinned, stepping forward. "Hey there, buddy! I’m Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and I’m gonna be a Pokémon Master! Want to join my team?"

The Pokémon blinked, then closed its eyes, as if deep in thought.

Misty crossed her arms. "Ash, maybe don’t scare it off by yelling."

"I’m not yelling," Ash protested, before turning back to the Pokémon. "So, what do you say?"

The Pokémon opened its eyes again, and for a moment, its body glowed brighter. Then it spoke—or at least, it sounded like it did, though its mouth didn’t move. Its voice echoed directly in their minds.

"Philosophy is not about answers. It is about the questions that lead to understanding."

Ash’s eyes widened. "Whoa! It is philosophical!"

Misty groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Ash, you can’t just name every mysterious Pokémon ‘Philosophical.’"

"But it literally said something philosophical!" Ash argued, throwing his hands in the air.

The Pokémon tilted its head again, then vanished in a flash of light, leaving behind a soft breeze that rustled the leaves.

Ash stared at the empty spot, stunned. "It disappeared..."

Misty sighed. "Well, at least we know it wasn’t the Caterpie."

"Hey!" Ash said, defensive. "Caterpie can be philosophical too!"

"Sure, Ash," Misty said, patting his shoulder. "Sure."

"Hey, Ash, slow down! You’re going to get us lost!"

But Ash was too focused. "No way, Misty! This is my chance to catch the Philosophical Pokémon!"

The Pokémon floated gracefully, occasionally glancing back at Ash as if it were testing his determination. Finally, it stopped in a small clearing, hovering in place.

Ash skidded to a halt, throwing a Pokéball into the air. "Alright, buddy, let’s do this! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Pika...CHUUU!" Pikachu unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity, striking the mysterious Pokémon. It flinched but remained afloat, glowing even brighter.

Misty caught up, gasping for air. "Ash, wait! Maybe you should—"

But Ash was already in action. "Pokéball, go!" he shouted, hurling the Pokéball with all his might.

The ball hit the Pokémon, encapsulating it in a burst of light. It wobbled once. Twice.

Click.

Ash froze, staring at the Pokéball in disbelief. Then his face lit up with a triumphant grin. He snatched the ball from the ground, holding it high in the air.

"I CAUGHT IT! I CAUGHT A PHILOSOPHICAL POKÉMON!" Ash yelled, his voice echoing through the forest.

Pikachu jumped up and down, cheering. "Pika pikaaaa!"

Ash spun around to face Misty, his excitement at its peak. "Did you see that?! I actually caught it! The most mysterious Pokémon ever!"

Misty just stood there, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

"Come on, Misty!" Ash pressed. "Say something! Aren’t you amazed?!"

Misty sighed and walked past him, shaking her head. "Let’s just hope it doesn’t start quoting life lessons every five minutes."

Ash blinked, looking at her retreating figure. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Misty waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing. Let’s get back to Gary before he thinks you named it something ridiculous again."

"But I am naming it Philosophical!" Ash called after her, hugging the Pokéball to his chest.

Misty didn’t even look back. "Of course you are, Ash. Of course you are."

" Look, Professor! I caught a Philosophical!!"

Oak looked at his grandson. " It happened again?"

Gary shrugged. " Yeah."

" And look at the Pokedex entry!!"

Oak wearily nodded to Gary, who took his Pokedex out.

" Philosophical. The philosophy Pokemon. A ghost and psychic and fairy type. Philosophical are known to quote famous people as words of wisdom."

Gary and Oak blinked. " Uh.... Ash, my boy.... You might want to-"

" AND LOOK AT THE KILLER PICTURE!"

Gary squinted at it. " .... Why is it-"

" It's a she! All Philosophicals are she's! Hey, I should add that to the entry!"

" Hold on, A-"

But it was too late.

Ash had updated it.

" Okay what did you want?"

Gary took a deep breath. " Why are you two taking a bath in the picture?*

Ash froze, his finger hovering over the Pokedex screen. "Wait, what?"

Gary pointed at his screen, eyebrows raised. "That picture you uploaded. The one for the 'Philosophical' Pokémon? It looks like you two are in a bath together."

Ash squinted at his own screen. Sure enough, the image showed him and the glowing Pokémon in a hot spring. The Pokémon was floating serenely while Ash looked like he was mid-splash.

"WHAT?! I didn't take that picture!" Ash yelled, frantically tapping the screen to delete it.

Gary crossed his arms, smirking. "Well, the evidence says otherwise."

Professor Oak chuckled, trying to lighten the situation. "Now, Ash, this is quite a unique... documentation style."

Misty stormed into the room, holding Togepi. "ASH KETCHUM! WHY IS THERE A PICTURE OF YOU TAKING A BATH WITH THAT POKÉMON?!"

Ash waved his arms wildly. "I swear, Misty, I didn’t do it! The Pokedex must’ve done it on its own!"

"Piiiikaa..." Pikachu shook his head, looking just as embarrassed.

Gary leaned against the table, clearly enjoying the chaos. "Yeah, because Pokedexes are known for taking candid bath photos."

Ash turned to the Pokedex, now glaring at it like it had betrayed him. "Dexter, explain yourself!"

The Pokedex beeped in its usual monotone. "I am simply documenting important trainer-Pokémon bonding moments. Bathing is considered a bonding activity in some cultures."

Misty’s face turned bright red. "BONDING?! WITH A PHILOSOPHICAL POKÉMON?!"

Ash groaned, burying his face in his hands. "This is NOT how I wanted this to go..."

Gary patted the monitor, barely containing his laughter. "Hey, at least it wasn’t worse. Could’ve been you hugging it in your pajamas."

Misty grabbed the Pokedex out of Ash’s hands. "We’re deleting this picture right now."

"Thank you," Ash muttered.

Professor Oak cleared his throat. "Ash, you seem to have a unique talent for turning even the simplest tasks into... memorable events."

Ash sighed, looking at the Pokeball containing his new Pokémon. "Yeah, well, at least I still caught it."

Misty handed the Pokedex back to him. "Next time, maybe try not to make it so weird."

Gary chuckled. "With Ash, that’s asking for a miracle."

" Okay, now it should be okay!"

Gary blinked at the picture. " Ash why are you two smiling in the bath?"

Ash grinned. " Because that's where philosophy comes from!!"

" That's no- oh never mind."

Gary squinted at the Pokedex entry again, his face scrunching up in disbelief. "Ash, you changed the entry?"

Ash grinned proudly, crossing his arms. "Yeah? So? It’s better now!"

Gary raised an eyebrow and read the entry aloud. "'Philosophical. The philosophy Pokémon. Ghost, Psychic, and Fairy type. Yo, this Pokémon spits wisdom like it’s droppin’ bars. Known for quoting deep stuff and giving vibes that’ll make you go, ‘Whoa.’’"

Misty groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ash, what did you do?"

Ash held his hands up, looking innocent. "I made it cooler! The original entry was boring."

Gary shook his head in disbelief. "Cooler? Ash, this sounds like a hype man for a rap battle, not a Pokémon entry!"

Ash puffed out his chest. "Hey, not my fault if it’s got style. The kids are gonna love this!"

Misty snatched the Pokedex from Ash and scrolled further down. "'Fun fact: Philosophical Pokémon only appear to people who are deep thinkers or who eat a lot of snacks.' Ash, really?!"

Ash grinned sheepishly. "Well, I do love snacks. And maybe that’s why it likes me so much!"

Gary slapped his forehead. "Ash, you’re turning the Pokedex into a joke."

Professor Oak’s voice came through the console, struggling not to laugh. "Ash, while I appreciate your... creativity, perhaps we should leave the official entries to the professionals?"

Ash shrugged. "Nah, I think I nailed it."

Gary read on, his expression turning more exasperated. "'Pro tip: If you catch one, always share your snacks or it’ll give you the cold shoulder. No cap.’"

Misty glared at Ash. "No cap? Ash, what does that even mean?"

Ash grinned. "It means I’m not lying! See? I’m making the Pokedex relatable!"

Gary groaned. "Relatable?! You’re making it sound like a social media influencer!"

"Hey, maybe that’s what it needs," Ash said, shrugging. "Philosophical could be the next big thing!"

Misty handed the Pokedex back to him. "You’re impossible."

Ash winked. "Yeah, but you love me anyway."

Misty turned bright red and crossed her arms. "Let’s just move on."

Gary sighed. "I’m telling Grandpa. You’re not getting away with this one, Ash."

Ash smirked. "Go ahead. But I bet even he’d admit this is fire."

Gary rolled his eyes. "You’re hopeless."

" Ash, I would like to speak to you."

Ash stared at the screen. " Yes, Professor Rowan?"

" About your Pokedex entry...."

" Oh, you want me to change it?"

" Yes."

Ash grinned as he grabbed his Pokedex. "Alright, Professor Rowan, I'll fix it right now! No problem!"

Rowan sighed in relief. "Good. Make it sound... professional, please."

Ash started typing furiously, muttering to himself. "Yeah, yeah... professional. Got it."

Misty peeked over his shoulder, suspicious. "Ash, what are you doing? You’re smiling too much."

Ash turned the screen toward her proudly. "Check it out!"

Misty’s jaw dropped as she read:
"Philosophical. Ghost, Psychic, Fairy type. This Pokémon’s got mad vibes and spits truths like a legendary poet. It’s always droppin’ quotes that’ll leave you shook. Big brain energy only. Respect the drip, no cap."

Rowan’s voice came through the screen, sounding horrified. "Ash... what is this?!"

Ash tilted his head, confused. "What? I made it better!"

Misty facepalmed. "Ash, this is even worse!"

Rowan’s tone sharpened. "Respect the... drip? What does that even mean?"

Ash grinned. "It means Philosophical is stylish! Gotta keep it trendy, Professor!"

Rowan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Trendy?! This is a Pokedex entry, not a fashion blog!"

Gary’s voice joined in over the call. "Rowan, I warned you about letting Ash near the Pokedex."

Ash shrugged. "Hey, I’m just keeping it real for the next generation."

Rowan groaned. "Ash, rewrite it again. This time, make it sound like an actual scientific entry!"

Ash sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. You guys are no fun."

He started typing again, muttering under his breath. Misty leaned over to check.
"Philosophical. Ghost, Psychic, Fairy type. A straight-up legend in the wisdom game. It vibes with thinkers and snack-lovers alike. Big facts only."

Rowan stared at the screen in disbelief. "Ash Ketchum, I give up."

Ash Shrugged. " Eh. You miss out on all the fun."