" Ash?" A Misty with her short red hair tied in a bun and wearing a black dress with red, blue and white patterns on it asked.

This

" What?" Ash asked as he straightened his newspaper.

" Did you go to the supermarket, by any chance?"

Ash looked up from his newspaper, his oversized fake glasses slipping off his nose and his fake mustache tilted over his lips. " No, why?"

Misty groaned. " Because we're out of food."

" Oh."

Misty shot him a look. " And take the disguise off. We're in the rental."

Ash sighed, disappointed that his girlfriend didn't understand. " Anyone can come at the door at any second. And we certainly don't want anyone who knows us to recognize us now, do we?"

Misty sighed. " We're in the Pewter City Forest. No one but Brock and his family can find us."

Ash nodded thoughtfully as he watched Pikachu and Togepi play. " Yeah. Guess you're right."

Bayleaf ran up to him. " Baaaaay!"

Ash grinned as the Pokemon nuzzles him and hugged back. " You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Noctowl hooted in agreement, and Ash sighed. " Oh well."

Totodile jumped around happily, and Bulbasaur and Squirtle played Uno.

As well as a Pokemon could play.

Well at first they were playing by the rules but then....

Well let's just say they got carried away.

" Psy?"

Misty sighed. " What now Psyduck?"

" Psy- duck!"

Misty groaned. " Back in your Pokeball. Now."

Ash grinned as the duck Pokemon ran into the room. " Awe, C'mon Misty. You're being hard on it."

" No, I'm not. I just want to to be smart for a change."

" I think it already is." Ash said brightly.

Misty's eyes narrowed. " How?"

" Well, it's saved us numerous times from Team Rocket when it gets overwhelmed."

Misty sighed. " Fine. Okay. I'll give you that."

" Pika piii?"

" Toge?"

" Bay?"

Misty looked at the hungry Pokemon and sighed. " Sorry guys we don't have any pokemon food. Or any food for that matter."

The Pokemon sighed in disappointment.

Ash suddenly jumped, his mustache falling to the ground and his glasses falling onto Bayleaf's face. " Hey! Why don't we go out and pick some berries?"

Misty nodded eagerly, her bun falling apart. " Yeah! We can do that!"

" Pika pi!"

" Toge!"

" Found more berries!" Misty called as Togepi picked some Oran berries.

" Ye- hey wait I just remembered something."

Misty raised a brow. " What?"

" Do any of us know how to cook?"

Misty froze. " Uh... Last time I cooked was when-"

" Brock was sick." Ash sighed. " Brock always was the cook."

" Plus a bunch of other things." Misty added.

Then she got an idea. " Why don't we visit him?"

" And what blow out cover?!"

Misty sighed. " I guess you're right....."

" I could try to cook." Ash suggested.

Misty gave him a look. " Last time you cooked you almost set the kitchen on fire."

Ash rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, his face flushing red. "That was one time! And in my defense, I thought the stove was off!"

Misty crossed her arms, her skeptical expression unwavering. "Ash, you were trying to microwave a pot of soup."

Pikachu snickered from his perch on Ash’s shoulder. "Pika-pi!"

Ash huffed. "Fine, no cooking. But that doesn't solve our food problem, does it?" He gestured dramatically to the group of Pokémon, now all looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes. Bayleaf, still wearing Ash’s fake glasses, even tilted her head for added effect.

Misty groaned. "Alright, plan B. We gather enough berries and... I don’t know, make a salad? Or some kind of stew?"

"Toge-togepriiii!" Togepi cheered, waddling over to Misty with a small pile of berries in its tiny arms.

Ash blinked. "Wait, can Pokémon even eat salad?"

Misty sighed. "They’re going to have to, unless you want to risk blowing up the kitchen again."

Ash crossed his arms, pouting. "I was just trying to make ramen."

Misty pinched the bridge of her nose. "And you ended up making explosive soup."

Ignoring the jab, Ash stood up, dusted off his clothes, and struck a heroic pose. "Alright! We’ll figure this out, together! Because I am Ash Ketchum and I—"

"—need to stop making speeches and start picking berries," Misty interrupted, yanking him toward a nearby bush.

As the pair worked, Noctowl swooped overhead, dropping a small pile of perfectly ripe berries into Misty’s basket. Totodile danced happily nearby, tossing berries into the air and catching them in its mouth.

Squirtle and Bulbasaur, however, were locked in a heated game of Uno, completely ignoring the commotion.

Ash glanced at Misty. "You know... maybe we should just catch some fish?"

Misty froze mid-reach for a berry, slowly turning to glare at him. "Ash, don’t you dare suggest fishing while my water Pokémon are right here."

"Okay, okay! No fishing!" Ash yelped, raising his hands in surrender.

Meanwhile, Psyduck waddled out from the bushes, holding what looked like a perfect bundle of Leppa berries. Misty stared at the Pokémon in surprise. "Psyduck... did you actually do something right?"

Psyduck blinked, tilting its head. "Psy?"

Ash laughed nervously. "See? I told you Psyduck’s smarter than you think!"

"Or just lucky," Misty muttered under her breath.

Eventually, the group returned to the rental, arms full of berries. Ash set the baskets down and clapped his hands together. "Alright! Let’s make a meal we’ll never forget!"

Misty shot him a warning look. "You mean a meal that won’t end in smoke alarms and fire trucks."

Ash grinned. "Totally! How hard can berry stew be?"

The Pokémon watched as Ash and Misty awkwardly stumbled through the process, occasionally arguing about measurements or whether berries should even be stewed. Pikachu facepalmed, while Bayleaf helpfully stirred the pot with her vines.

By the time the stew was ready, the kitchen was a mess, but surprisingly, the meal smelled delicious. Ash proudly dished out bowls for everyone, even grabbing some for himself and Misty.

They took their first bites cautiously. Misty’s eyes widened in surprise. "Ash... this is actually... good?"

Ash beamed, puffing out his chest. "See? I told you I could cook!"

Just as Misty was about to reply, Psyduck waddled over, tripped, and sent the rest of the stew flying across the room.

"...I take it back," Misty groaned, reaching for a napkin. "Next time, we are calling Brock."

After lunch, the cabin had fallen into a peaceful lull. Misty gently tucked Togepi into its makeshift bed, humming a soft tune. The little Pokémon cooed contentedly, its tiny arms hugging a berry like a plush toy. Ash leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and smiling.

"Finally," Misty whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Togepi's almost asleep. Now we can—"

A loud, sudden clunk echoed from the other room.

Ash and Misty froze. Misty narrowed her eyes. "What was that?"

"Psyduck, probably," Ash whispered back. "You know how it is."

Misty sighed. "Of course, it’s Psyduck."

Meanwhile, in the living room, Psyduck was sitting triumphantly in front of a strange glowing symbol etched into the wooden floor. The Pokémon’s eyes lit up as it poked the symbol with its stubby fingers, causing it to glow even brighter. Around Psyduck, a frantic scene was unfolding.

Bayleaf was desperately trying to pull Psyduck away with her vines, while Pikachu tugged at its arms. Squirtle, now wearing its signature sunglasses, was gesturing wildly, clearly trying to communicate something important. Totodile, however, was just dancing in circles, completely oblivious to the chaos.

Noctowl swooped down, trying to peck at the symbol, but Psyduck held its ground. With a determined "Psyyyy!" it slammed its hand on the symbol again. The glow intensified, sending out a pulse of energy that knocked the other Pokémon back.

Back in Togepi’s room, Ash and Misty felt the vibrations. Togepi stirred, letting out a soft "Toge...?"

Misty turned to Ash, eyes blazing. "Go see what’s going on. Now."

Ash gulped. "Right, right! I’m on it!"

He dashed into the living room and skidded to a halt, taking in the chaotic scene. His jaw dropped. "Psyduck, what are you doing?!"

"Pi...kachu!!" Pikachu cried, gesturing at the symbol. It sparked with ominous energy now, swirling with faint blue light.

Ash blinked. "Wait a minute... That looks like—"

"An ancient summoning circle," Misty finished, appearing behind him with Togepi now wide awake in her arms. "What did Psyduck do?!"

"Psyduck!" Psyduck replied innocently, pointing at the glowing symbol.

Misty groaned. "Ash, do something!"

"Uh..." Ash scratched his head, panicking. "Bayleaf, pull Psyduck away! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on the circle!"

Bayleaf tried again, her vines stretching toward Psyduck, but the duck Pokémon smacked them away with surprising resolve. Pikachu unleashed a Thunderbolt at the symbol, but instead of stopping it, the energy seemed to absorb the electricity, growing even brighter.

Misty’s grip on Togepi tightened as she glared at Ash. "This is your fault! You never should have let Psyduck wander off!"

"My fault?!" Ash exclaimed. "You’re the one who keeps Psyduck out of its Pokéball!"

Their argument was cut short by a loud crack as the symbol emitted a blinding light. Everyone shielded their eyes as the energy surged, filling the room with a strange hum.

When the light faded, Psyduck was standing triumphantly in the middle of the room... holding a massive golden feather.

Misty’s jaw dropped. "Is that... a Ho-Oh feather?"

Psyduck looked at the feather, then at Misty, then at Ash. "Psy?"

Ash blinked. "Uh... cool? But what do we do with it?"

Misty groaned. "We stop Psyduck from accidentally summoning a legendary Pokémon, that’s what!"

Pikachu facepalmed, and Bayleaf just sighed, nudging Psyduck away from the symbol while Noctowl tried to blow it out with a Gust. Meanwhile, Squirtle was now holding up an Uno card, as if challenging Totodile to a rematch.

Togepi, wide awake, giggled and clapped. "Toge-togepri!"

Ash sighed, rubbing his temples. "Well... at least Togepi's not crying."

Misty shot him a look. "Ash, this is not over."

Ash turned around, already frazzled from the chaos Psyduck had caused, and immediately locked eyes with Squirtle and Bulbasaur. The two Pokémon were still engrossed in their intense game of Uno, with Squirtle smugly slapping down a Draw Four card while Bulbasaur looked genuinely offended.

"Are you two serious right now?!" Ash shouted, throwing his hands in the air. "We’ve got glowing ancient symbols, Psyduck almost summoning a legendary Pokémon, and you’re playing Uno?!"

Squirtle casually adjusted its sunglasses and gestured toward the pile of cards, as if daring Bulbasaur to make a move. Bulbasaur huffed, vines snapping down another card with an almost defiant flair.

Ash groaned, running a hand down his face. "Would you guys stop for ten seconds?! We’ve got bigger problems here!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu chimed in, clearly agreeing as it pointed toward Psyduck, who was now twirling the golden feather like a baton.

Squirtle and Bulbasaur paused their game, exchanging looks. Then, as if to mock Ash’s exasperation, Squirtle picked up another card and slapped it on the pile, signaling the continuation of the game.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur snapped, slamming down yet another card.

Ash threw his arms in the air. "Unbelievable! You’re not even listening to me!"

Misty pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ash, just let them finish their game. At this point, it’s the least of our worries."

"The least?!" Ash exclaimed, gesturing wildly toward the still-glowing summoning circle. "Misty, they’re playing Uno in the middle of all this!"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle called triumphantly, slapping down a final card and crossing its arms smugly.

Bulbasaur growled, but begrudgingly nodded, acknowledging Squirtle’s victory. With the game settled, the two Pokémon finally turned their attention back to the chaos at hand.

"See?" Misty said with a shrug. "They’re done now. Happy?"

Ash sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, sure. Now if we could just figure out what to do with this mess," he muttered, glaring at Psyduck, who was now using the feather to scratch its head.

As if on cue, the glowing circle started pulsing again.

Misty groaned. "Ash, if this summons something, I’m blaming you and your Uno-playing Pokémon."

Ash blinked. "What?! How is this my fault?!"

"Because it’s always your fault!" Misty snapped, grabbing Togepi and storming toward the circle to try and stop whatever was about to happen.

Behind them, Squirtle and Bulbasaur were already shuffling the deck for another round.

Birds were flying outside, and a Maril was hopping close to the cottage when all of a sudden...

Bam!

The house was engulfed in smoke. All the Pokemon scurried away, scared.

Inside, Ash, Misty and the Pokemon were coughing the smoke away.

" Psyduck why would you do that?" Misty coughed.

" Psy?"

Ash coughed and wiped his watery eyes. " We might have better luck if we take the thing away from your duck."

Misty nodded and grabbed the thing. " Come on Psyduck let go."

Psyduck held on.

Misty pulled.

Nothing.

" Ash, hold Psyduck will ya?"

" Okay."

" Good. Now pull!"

Ash blinked. " Misty, are you-"

" PULL!"

Ash nodded. " Okay okay!"

They pulled and pulled, but nothing.

So they pulled some more.

And what they learned is... Psyduck was really stretchy.

Because even after Misty went to the bedroom and Ash in the middle of the forest, Psyduck still wouldn't let go.

" Maybe it's glued on." A weary Ash suggested.

Misty nodded as she slumped on Ash. " I agree. There's no way that duck is that strong."

" Psy?"

"There's gotta be some way to get that thing away from Psyduck," Misty muttered, still leaning against Ash as she caught her breath.

"Psyduck, seriously, why are you even holding onto this thing so hard?" Ash asked, exasperated. "Do you even know what it does?"

Psyduck tilted its head, still clutching the mysterious object with an iron grip. "Psy...duck?"

"That's a no," Misty deadpanned, glaring at the duck Pokémon. She crossed her arms, then glanced at Togepi, who was curiously toddling over. "Togepi, sweetie, could you try and convince Psyduck to let go?"

"Toge toge!" Togepi chirped enthusiastically, waddling over to Psyduck and giving it the biggest, most adorable smile imaginable.

For a moment, it looked like Psyduck was actually considering letting go. Its eyes softened, and its grip on the object slackened.

"See? It's working!" Ash said hopefully, inching closer to grab the object.

But just as he reached out, Psyduck's eyes suddenly lit up, and it hugged the object even tighter than before. "Psy! Psyduck!"

Ash fell flat on his back with a groan. "Never mind."

Misty stomped her foot. "That's it! We're trying Plan B!"

Ash looked up at her cautiously. "What's Plan B?"

"Bribery!" Misty declared, storming off to the kitchen—or at least what was left of it after the smoke explosion. She emerged moments later holding a small bag of Pokémon snacks. "If Psyduck won't let go, maybe we can trade for it."

Ash sat up, brushing soot off his clothes. "I dunno, Misty. Psyduck's pretty stubborn."

"Well, it's worth a shot!" Misty said, shaking the bag in front of Psyduck. "Look, Psyduck! Yummy treats! All you have to do is let go of the shiny thing."

Psyduck's eyes darted between the snacks and the object in its hands. For a moment, there was silence as everyone waited to see what it would do.

Then, in one swift motion, Psyduck grabbed the entire bag of snacks with one hand while still clutching the object with the other.

"Psy!" it cried happily, stuffing its face with the snacks.

Misty's eye twitched. "You've gotta be kidding me."

Ash sighed, flopping back onto the floor. "Well, at least it's multitasking..."

Outside, the Marill peeked through the window, watching the chaos unfold with wide eyes. It hopped away quickly as another loud bang echoed from inside, followed by Misty's furious yell:

"THAT'S IT, PSYDUCK! YOU'RE GOING IN THE POKÉBALL!"

Misty furiously clicked the button on Psyduck's Pokéball, but no matter how many times she tried, the duck refused to return.

"Psyduck, why won't you just—" Misty growled, then stopped when the Pokéball flashed red and refused to activate. "Oh, come on!"

"Guess Psyduck's too attached to that thing to even go back in," Ash observed, leaning against the wall, still covered in soot.

"Here!" Misty huffed, shoving Togepi into Ash's arms. "You deal with your kid for a bit."

Ash caught Togepi just as it let out the loudest, most ridiculous burp.

BURRRP!

A puff of smoke erupted from its tiny mouth, making Ash blink in surprise.

He looked down at the smug little egg Pokémon, who giggled innocently.

"Well," Ash said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he wiped soot off his face. "Nice to see you're enjoying yourself."

"Toge toge!" Togepi chirped happily, patting Ash’s soot-covered cheek with its tiny hands.

Misty crossed her arms, glaring at the still-snacking Psyduck. "Great. Now the baby's full, Psyduck's got snacks and whatever that thing is, and I'm out of ideas. What next?"

Ash shrugged, rocking Togepi gently. "Maybe we let Psyduck figure it out on its own. It usually does... eventually."

"Pika pi," Pikachu agreed, sighing from the corner as it watched the escalating chaos with a resigned expression.

Misty groaned. "I can't believe I'm stuck with you, Ash."

"Hey!" Ash grinned, pointing at himself. "You chose this, remember?"

"Only because someone said he'd keep things under control," Misty snapped, jabbing a finger toward him.

Ash laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, well... in my defense, I didn't think we'd be dealing with a duck holding a possibly dangerous artifact, a baby belching smoke, and Squirtle and Bulbasaur cheating at Uno all at the same time."

Misty rolled her eyes. "This is why Brock always kept us in line."

"Speaking of," Ash said, glancing out the window, "maybe we should go find him before this turns into an actual forest fire."

Misty sighed. "Fine. But if Psyduck blows up something else before we get there, you’re the one explaining it to him."

Ash grinned. "Deal."

"Psy!" Psyduck chirped, blissfully unaware of the chaos it had caused.

As Misty grabbed her backpack and Psyduck stubbornly clung to its glowing artifact, a strange hum filled the air.

The glowing intensified, casting an eerie red light around the room.

"Ash...what's happening?!" Misty asked, her voice trembling.

"I don't know!" Ash said, clutching Togepi tighter as the baby Pokémon blinked in awe at the light.

The artifact pulsed once, and then, with a deafening crack, the air in the room seemed to split open.

Materializing before them, towering over the furniture and radiating an intimidating aura, was a massive Groudon.

But this wasn’t just any Groudon.

This one had knives.

Knives in each claw, knives in its teeth, and somehow even knives sticking out of its massive tail.

It growled low and menacingly, the sound reverberating through the tiny cottage.

"WHAT THE HECK?!" Ash screamed, stumbling back into a wall.

"Psyduck, what did you do?!" Misty screeched, grabbing Pikachu and bolting for the door.

"Psy!" Psyduck quacked innocently, still holding onto the artifact as if it were a prized possession.

The Groudon's glowing eyes locked onto them, and it roared.

"OUTSIDE! NOW!" Misty bellowed, scooping up Togepi as she sprinted out the door.

Ash followed, tripping over his feet and flinging the door wide open.

The Pokémon—Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Bayleef, and even Noctowl—were all scrambling out of the house in a frenzy.

Then came the scream.

A collective, blood-curdling scream from every single being inside the house.

The walls rattled as Groudon growled and began moving, its enormous claws leaving deep gouges in the floor.

In a scene of utter chaos, Ash, Misty, and the Pokémon burst out of the house, hollering at the top of their lungs.

"WHY DOES IT HAVE KNIVES?!" Ash yelled, glancing back in horror.

"Psyduck, drop the thing!" Misty screamed as she bolted past a terrified Marill that had been hopping by earlier.

"Pikaaa!" Pikachu squealed, diving behind a bush.

But Psyduck remained in the doorway, staring up at Groudon with its trademark vacant expression, still clutching the glowing artifact.

"GROOOOOAR!" Groudon roared, brandishing its knife-covered claws.

"PSYDUCK, RUN!" Ash and Misty screamed in unison.

But Psyduck just tilted its head.

".....Psy?"

The scene went full-on anime as everyone collectively fell over in disbelief, limbs sprawled in exaggerated positions. Misty was the first to recover, shooting up with fire in her eyes.

"PSYDUCK, YOU'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY!" she yelled, fists clenched.

But then Psyduck, unfazed as always, tilted its head and pulled out a gun.

Ash froze, eyes wide. "Where did it even get that?!"

Misty took a cautious step back. "Psyduck...put that down."

Psyduck stared blankly, holding the gun like it had just discovered a new toy.

Ash grabbed Misty by the arm and yanked her away. "We have to leave. Now."

"But the house—"

"Forget the house! It's not worth it!"

Cut to the peaceful forest outside, where birds chirped, and sunlight dappled the trees.

Then, out of nowhere—

Ash came barreling through the trees, holding onto his cap with one hand while dragging Misty with the other.

"RUN FASTER!" he shouted.

"I'm trying!" Misty shrieked, clutching her dress to keep from tripping.

Behind them, Pikachu, Togepi, and the rest of the Pokémon dashed after them in a frantic stampede, all looking equally panicked.

The peaceful clearing erupted into chaos as the group zoomed past, leaving behind a stunned Marill and a very confused Pidgey perched on a branch.

Then, from the direction of the cottage, a loud BOOM echoed, sending a cloud of smoke into the air.

"PSYDUCK, NOOOO!" Misty's voice wailed from somewhere in the distance.

As the group finally came to a stop near a riverbank, Ash leaned over, hands on his knees, panting. "We...need to go to Brock. Now."

Misty, still catching her breath, glared at him. "What about being undercover, huh? You said no one can know we're here!"

Ash straightened up, adjusting his cap with a serious look. "Simple. Pretend you're pregnant."

Misty's jaw dropped. "WHAT?!"

"Yeah," Ash continued, as if it were the most logical idea ever. "Stuff Togepi under your dress. If anyone asks, just say we're looking for a breeder to check on the health of our Pokémon family. Easy cover."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Misty shouted, her face turning as red as her hair.

Ash ignored her outburst, turning to Pikachu. "Pikachu, keep an eye out for anyone suspicious. We can't let this slip."

"Pika..." Pikachu said, clearly questioning Ash's sanity but ultimately nodding.

Misty groaned, facepalming. "Fine! But you owe me big time for this ridiculous plan."

Ash grinned. "Deal. Now let's get going. Once we get to Brock’s, just tell him it’s us and explain everything."

As they started walking again, Misty grumbled, lifting Togepi and tucking it gently under her dress. "I can't believe I’m doing this..."

Togepi, snug in its makeshift hiding spot, let out a cheerful "Togepriiii!"

Ash smirked. "See? Togepi's already in character. You're a natural."

Misty glared daggers at him. "Ash Ketchum, I swear, if Brock laughs at this, you’re dead."

"Hey, it's foolproof," Ash said, throwing her a thumbs-up. "No one will suspect a thing!"

In the background, Psyduck waddled along, still clutching the mysterious "item" it had caused chaos with earlier, blissfully unaware of the chaos it left behind.

As Ash and "pregnant" Misty strolled into the bustling city, Ash couldn’t help but beam with pride, one arm wrapped protectively around Misty. Togepi, nestled under Misty’s dress, wiggled slightly, but she managed to keep a composed expression despite her inner mortification.

"Wow, congratulations!" a cheerful passerby said with a big smile.

"Thank you!" Ash replied enthusiastically, tipping his cap. "We’re so excited!"

Misty gave him a sharp nudge with her elbow. "Ash," she hissed through gritted teeth.

Ash leaned in with a grin. "Relax, you're glowing," he whispered, then straightened up as another well-wisher passed by.

"You’re going to make great parents!" a kindly older woman added.

"Thanks, ma’am!" Ash replied. "We’re trying our best already!"

Misty muttered under her breath, "Ash, if you call me glowing one more time, I’m going to—"

Suddenly, a kid with a Poké Ball came running up, pointing. "Hey! Aren’t you Ash Ketchum? The Champion?!"

Misty’s eyes widened, and her face went pale. Ash quickly stepped forward, laughing awkwardly. "Ash Ketchum? Ha! No way, kid. I get that all the time. But nope! Just a humble, uh... Pokémon trainer!"

The kid squinted. "But you look exactly like him!"

"Well, a lot of people wear caps and have Pikachus, you know!" Ash said, sweating bullets. Pikachu, perched on Ash’s shoulder, waved casually but looked just as nervous.

The kid seemed unconvinced, but Misty stepped in with a sweet smile. "Oh, honey, let’s not bother this nice young trainer. We’re just here to, um, visit a breeder about our soon-to-arrive family, you see?" She patted her belly (or rather, Togepi) for emphasis.

Togepi gave a muffled "Togepriiii!" from under the dress, and Ash coughed loudly to cover it.

"Whoa!" the kid said, wide-eyed. "Okay, sorry for bothering you! Good luck with the baby!"

"Thanks, kid! See ya!" Ash said, steering Misty away quickly.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Misty grabbed Ash by the collar. "You owe me a huge apology for this. I just patted Togepi and called it a baby!"

Ash grinned sheepishly. "Hey, it worked, didn’t it?"

Misty groaned as they approached Brock’s house. "If this doesn’t work, you’re the one explaining it to Brock. And Togepi better not burp again!"

"Pika pi..." Pikachu muttered, shaking its head at Ash’s antics.

When Ash and Misty finally reached Brock’s house, they hesitated at the door. Ash knocked confidently, still holding Misty close, while Misty adjusted her "pregnant belly" to keep Togepi from squirming too much.

Brock answered the door with a friendly smile, only to blink in surprise at the sight of Ash and Misty in their ridiculous disguises. Ash’s oversized glasses and fake mustache were askew, while Misty’s "baby bump" looked oddly lumpy.

"Uh… Can I help you?" Brock asked, his gaze flicking between the two.

Ash leaned in, whispering dramatically, "Brock, it’s me, Ash!"

Brock’s jaw dropped, and he yelped loud enough to startle some nearby Pidgey. "Misty’s pregnant?!"

Misty’s face turned beet red. "NO! Brock, it’s a disguise! Ash thought this was a great idea!"

Brock looked at the two of them, then down at the "bump," which emitted a faint "Togeprii!" He raised an eyebrow. "Wait, is that Togepi under your dress?"

Ash laughed nervously. "Yeah, uh, long story. We’re in disguise because—"

Misty interrupted, glaring at Ash. "Because someone thought walking through the city pretending to be pregnant was the best way to avoid blowing our cover!"

Brock facepalmed. "Ash, you’re lucky I’m used to this level of crazy from you two. Come in before someone actually recognizes you!"

As they stepped inside, Ash gave Misty a triumphant grin. "See? Told you it would work."

Misty groaned, handing Togepi to Brock. "If anyone asks, this was your idea, Ash."

Brock shook his head, chuckling. "Some things never change."

Inside Brock’s house, the scent of freshly baked bread and simmering stew filled the air, and Ash and Misty couldn’t resist. They eagerly dug into their plates, barely pausing to catch their breath between bites.

Brock, watching them with a mix of amusement and concern, sat down at the table across from them. “So, what brings you two here?” he asked, trying to hide a smile as he noticed how fast Ash and Misty were eating.

Before either of them could answer, they both spoke at the exact same time:

“We need help!” Ash exclaimed, his mouth half-full.

“It’s a disaster!” Misty added, wiping a bit of sauce from her chin.

Brock blinked, raising an eyebrow. “Hold on. One at a time. I can’t understand you both at once.”

Ash swallowed his food hastily. “Okay, okay, listen—there’s this whole mess going on. First, we tried to stay undercover, and that didn’t go as planned.” He glanced at Misty, who was still chewing, then added, “And then we had this whole issue with Psyduck. You know how he gets—“

Misty interrupted, her voice rising with frustration. “It’s not just Psyduck, Ash! Everything was fine until the Groudon with knives appeared!”

Brock froze, his eyes widening in confusion. “Groudon with knives? Are you two seriously telling me there’s a Groudon, and it’s—wait, knives? What?”

Misty and Ash exchanged a quick, exasperated glance. “Yeah, we don’t know where it came from,” Ash said, giving a helpless shrug. “Psyduck’s the one who triggered it, somehow.”

Brock set down his cup, rubbing his temples. “Okay, okay. So you’re telling me that Psyduck activated a Groudon with knives and—” He blinked again, clearly not believing what he was hearing. “I’ve got to ask. How did you end up pretending to be pregnant?”

Ash grinned sheepishly. “Well, Misty was the one who suggested the disguise—”

Misty shot Ash a look. “I was trying to think of a way to blend in, and someone insisted on being all dramatic and wearing that ridiculous mustache! If you’ve seen the city today, Brock, you’d know we couldn’t just waltz in without attracting attention!”

Brock chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, I can see how that might be an issue.” He leaned back in his chair, trying to process everything. “So, let me get this straight. Psyduck triggered a Groudon with knives, you guys have been on the run, and Ash—” He raised an eyebrow, “—you thought a fake pregnancy would solve all your problems?”

Ash flushed, shrugging awkwardly. “It sounded like a good idea at the time.”

Misty sighed deeply. “I don’t even know why I let him talk me into it.”

Brock smiled, clearly amused by their antics. “It’s always an adventure with you two. But seriously, why did you come here?”

“Brock, we need help,” Misty said earnestly, her voice softer. “We’ve tried everything to get Psyduck to stop causing trouble, and now with the Groudon... we’re stuck. We don’t know what to do.”

Ash nodded in agreement. “Yeah, and we need to lay low for a while. No more disguises, no more crazy stunts. Just... help.”

Brock stood up, stretching his arms. “Alright, alright. You’ve got it. But we’re going to need a game plan.” He paused, looking at the two of them, “And this time, no fake pregnancies, okay?”

Misty rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but smile. “Agreed.”

Ash grinned. “But... can I keep the mustache? It’s kind of fun.”

Brock just shook his head with a laugh. “You’re impossible.”

But even with the chaos that had followed them, the trio knew that with Brock’s help, they could figure things out. It was always like this with them—crazy, unpredictable, but somehow, they always made it work.