" Have you seen my Girlfriend?" Ash asked frantically. " Orange hair, wears yellow shirt with red overalls and blue shorts?"

When another person shook their head, Ash sighed and took a small picture book out of his pocket.

Misty.... Him.... Brock.... Their Pokemon... It was all there

Brock walked to Ash and put a hand on his shoulder. " She'll be fine."

" No she won't!" Ash said as he ran around, sticking her face to just about anything in sight ( even brock's face).

Suddenly, he teared away from Brock. He ran around the area, sticking Misty’s picture in front of anyone who would look. “Have you seen her?!” he yelled, practically plastering his face against a nearby wall. “Misty!”

One elderly man raised an eyebrow at the commotion and remarked, “Aren’t you a little young to have a kid?”

Ash’s face flushed. “Wha—? I’m not a father! I’m looking for my... sister!” He quickly backtracked, realizing how that sounded. “I mean, she’s my girlfriend!” He threw his hands up in exasperation.

Brock chuckled softly, shaking his head. “You’re not making this any easier for yourself, Ash.”

Undeterred, Ash sprinted to the next group of people, waving the picture like a banner of hope. “Has anyone seen my girlfriend?! She’s got orange hair, yellow shirt, red overalls!” His voice rose higher with each word, his panic making him sound almost desperate.

Another bystander, a young woman, pointed toward a nearby café. “I think I saw someone matching that description heading inside! Maybe she’s in there.”

“Thanks!” Ash shouted, running toward the café, Brock trailing behind with a bemused smile.

As they reached the entrance, Ash paused, catching his breath. “Misty!” he yelled, stepping inside. The café was bustling with customers, and the smell of coffee and pastries filled the air. He quickly scanned the room, searching for any sign of her.

Brock leaned against the door frame, shaking his head. “You really need to chill, Ash. If she’s here, she’ll come out when she hears you yelling her name like that.”

“Chill? I can’t chill!” Ash shouted, making a couple of patrons glance over. “I need to find her!”

Just then, from a corner table, Misty looked up, her eyes wide as she caught sight of Ash’s frantic figure. “Ash!” she called, waving excitedly. “I’m over here!”

Relief washed over Ash like a wave as he rushed toward her. “Misty!” He practically dove into the chair across from her, panting. “I thought I lost you!”

Misty laughed, her cheeks flushed from the excitement. “You really need to learn how to relax. I just went to grab a snack!”

“Snack?!” Ash repeated incredulously, still catching his breath. “You scared me half to death!”

Brock finally caught up, chuckling as he watched the exchange. “See? She’s fine, Ash. Maybe next time, just ask instead of panicking?”

“Next time? There will be no next time!” Ash huffed, crossing his arms. “I’m sticking by your side from now on.”

Misty smiled playfully, her teasing nature coming back. “What? You’re not ready to be my bodyguard?”

“Just you wait!” Ash declared, puffing out his chest. “I’ll be the best bodyguard ever!”

Brock rolled his eyes, still grinning. “Right. Just remember, you might need to guard yourself against falling over when you get too worked up.”

Then Ash noticed something.

" Misty, can I see your ring?"

Misty nodded, and ash took it.

" Okay, Misty, you can stay here a few more minutes." He said is a wavering voice. " Me and Brock'll leave you alone."

Ash grabbed Brock by the arm and pulled him around the corner, glancing back toward the café. His eyes were hard, focused with determination. “Brock, I know where Misty is.”

Brock furrowed his brow, still trying to process everything. “What are you talking about, Ash? If that wasn’t Misty, then where is she?”

Ash took a deep breath. “Team Rocket has her. It’s them. It has to be. This whole thing is a setup.”

Brock blinked, surprised. “Team Rocket? How do you know?”

Ash clenched his fists, trying to keep his emotions in check. “The ring. Misty only has one ring—the one I gave her. It’s got both our names on it, and it has a specific gem we picked out together. The ring that girl was wearing? It wasn’t the same. That’s how I know it wasn’t Misty. They’re trying to trick me.”

Brock’s eyes widened in realization. “So you’re saying Team Rocket’s behind this… and that they’re going to use Misty to get to you.”

Ash nodded grimly. “Yeah. They want to make me trade Pikachu for her. They’ll use Misty as bait, like they always do.”

Brock crossed his arms, thinking. “Okay, so what’s the plan? We can’t just let them keep her.”

Ash bit his lip, his mind racing. “I’m not trading Pikachu. That’s what they want. But I can’t risk Misty either. We need a way to fool them.”

Brock snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it! We’ll give them Pikachu... but not the real one.”

Ash stared at him in disbelief. “What?!”

Brock smirked. “Not your Pikachu, Ash. A mechanical one. We can build a fake Pikachu that looks and acts just like the real thing, but with one crucial difference—it shocks even better than Pikachu!”

Ash’s eyes lit up as he started to grasp the plan. “A mechanical Pikachu... that’s genius! We can use it to trick them into thinking they’ve won, but when they try to use it, BAM! We hit them with an electric shock strong enough to knock them out and rescue Misty.”

Brock nodded confidently. “Exactly. They’ll be so focused on getting their hands on Pikachu, they won’t see the trap coming.”

Ash grinned, feeling a surge of hope. “Alright, let’s do it. We’ll build the best mechanical Pikachu they’ve ever seen—and then we’ll get Misty back.”

Pikachu, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, jumped onto Ash’s shoulder, determined. “Pika-pi!” it squeaked, as if to say it was ready for the plan too.

With a newfound sense of purpose, Ash and Brock started walking, heads bent together as they discussed the details. They knew they didn’t have much time, but with the right plan, they could outsmart Team Rocket and get Misty back safely.

Ash clenched his fists again, his voice filled with resolve. “Hang in there, Misty. I’m coming for you.”

Meanwhile, deep in Team Rocket’s hideout, Jessie and James stood before Misty, grinning wickedly. Meowth perched on a crate, looking pleased with himself. Misty sat tied to a chair, her expression fierce, but frustration bubbled under her surface.

Jessie leaned down, smirking. “Face it, Misty. Ash won’t come for you. He doesn’t care enough. He’s too busy running around with his precious Pikachu to bother about you.”

James chimed in with a laugh. “Yeah, if he cared so much, why isn’t he here yet? He’s probably forgotten all about you!”

Misty’s eyes flashed with anger, and she struggled against her bonds. “You’re wrong! Ash does care about me! He’ll come for me because he loves me!”

Jessie raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Oh really? You think he’s going to risk everything for you? How sweet… and foolish.”

Misty’s face grew determined, her voice steady. “Ash will come. He’s not going to leave me behind. You don’t know him like I do.” Her words were filled with confidence, but there was a flicker of doubt she kept hidden deep down.

Meowth sneered, hopping down from his crate. “Aww, how cute. The girl thinks her hero is gonna swoop in and save the day. News flash, toots—he’s not coming!”

Misty’s heart pounded, but she refused to let them see her fear. “You don’t know Ash. He’s never given up on his friends, and he won’t start now.”

James shrugged. “We’ll see about that. When we dangle the bait in front of him, he’ll have to choose—Pikachu or you. And we all know how much he loves that Pikachu.”

Misty clenched her fists, her eyes burning with defiance. “Ash will find a way. He’s smarter than you think.”

Jessie and James exchanged amused looks, clearly not believing her.

“You keep telling yourself that, sweetheart,” Jessie said, flipping her hair. “But soon enough, you’ll see. Ash isn’t going to risk Pikachu for you. You’re just not that important.”

Misty’s chest tightened at their words, but she refused to show it. She stared straight ahead, her mind focused on one thing—Ash would come for her. He always did.

“I don’t care what you say,” Misty hissed, her voice strong. “He’ll come. And when he does, you’ll regret messing with me and my friends.”

Jessie’s laugh echoed through the hideout. “Oh, we’re shaking in our boots.”

But deep down, Misty knew. No matter what, she believed in Ash—and that belief was what kept her going.

As Team Rocket continued to taunt her, Misty’s thoughts drifted to Ash, hoping he was out there, preparing to rescue her.

"I love you, Ash," she whispered quietly to herself. "I know you'll come for me."

" I hope."

“There,” Tracy said, stepping back to admire his work. “That’s about as accurate as I could get it.”

Brock nodded, examining the sketch. “Looks good. Now let’s start building it.”

Ash grinned, already getting to work with Brock on crafting the mechanical Pikachu that they planned to use to trick Team Rocket. “Pikachu, we’re gonna make this look exactly like you!” he said enthusiastically to his partner.

Pikachu tilted its head, looking from Ash to Tracy, then back again.

As the construction of the mechanical Pikachu continued, Tracy couldn’t shake the feeling that Pikachu was watching him very closely. He nervously glanced up and saw Pikachu still staring at him, eyes narrowed slightly.

“Uh, Ash?” Tracy said, stepping back cautiously. “Could you, uh, maybe tell your Pikachu to stop looking at me like I’m its food?”

Ash looked over at Pikachu, who was now sitting upright, gaze fixed intently on Tracy.

“Pikachu?” Ash asked, confused. “What’s the matter? Tracy’s helping us out.”

“Pika-pika…” Pikachu muttered, eyes still locked on Tracy.

Brock chuckled as he tightened a screw in the mechanical Pikachu’s leg. “Maybe Pikachu doesn’t like the idea of there being two of it running around.”

Tracy raised his hands defensively. “Hey, Pikachu, this isn’t my idea! I’m just helping with the sketch.”

Ash scratched his head, trying to soothe his partner. “Come on, Pikachu, don’t worry. You’re still the original, and no one could ever replace you.”

Pikachu seemed to relax a little at that, but it continued to give Tracy the occasional wary glance.

“See?” Brock said with a grin. “Nothing to worry about. Besides, this mechanical Pikachu is going to be so convincing, Team Rocket won’t know what hit them.”

Tracy let out a sigh of relief but muttered under his breath, “Still not sure why Pikachu’s looking at me like I’m dinner…”

Ash patted Pikachu on the head. “Don’t worry, buddy. You’re the one and only Pikachu. We just need this fake to help save Misty.”

“Pikachu…” Pikachu replied, finally taking its eyes off Tracy.

With the mechanical Pikachu nearly complete, the team was ready to put their plan into action.

And hopefully, Pikachu would stop eyeing Tracy like a snack.

The plan was set, at least half of it. Ash, Brock, and Tracy had agreed that Brock and Tracy would search for Misty while Ash, well… tried to keep himself calm. Easier said than done.

As Brock and Tracy set out, leaving Ash behind for now, the young Pokémon Trainer paced in circles, breathing rapidly. His face was flushed, and his hands trembled as he tried to focus on anything other than Misty being captured by Team Rocket.

“Okay, okay,” Ash muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair. “They’ll find her. No big deal. Everything’s gonna be fine.” But the more he repeated it, the less he believed it. His pacing grew faster, and his breaths shallower.

Pikachu, watching from nearby, tilted its head with concern. “Pika pi?”

“I’m fine, Pikachu,” Ash said, though his voice was far from steady. “I just… I can’t believe they took Misty. What if something happens? What if we’re too late?”

His heart raced, and his mind swirled with every possible worst-case scenario. He was supposed to be the hero, the one who saved the day, but right now, he felt completely powerless. His hands were still shaking as he sat down on a nearby log, clutching the mechanical Pikachu in his lap as if it could somehow calm him down.

Back in the woods, Brock and Tracy were focused on their part of the plan—finding Misty.

Brock looked over at Tracy, who was keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings. “Think we’re close?”

“Should be,” Tracy replied, adjusting his sketchpad. “If Team Rocket’s up to their usual tricks, they can’t be far. They always stick to the same patterns.”

“Right,” Brock agreed. “Ash is probably losing it back there.”

“More like definitely losing it,” Tracy said, rolling his eyes. “He was practically hyperventilating when we left.”

Brock let out a chuckle. “That’s Ash for you. Always jumps straight to panic when it’s about Misty.”

Meanwhile, back with Ash, his hyperventilating was indeed at an all-time high. He could barely think straight as the fear of losing Misty consumed him. His hands gripped the mechanical Pikachu tightly as he muttered to himself, “We’ve got this. We’ve got this. We’ve got this…”

Pikachu, now more concerned than ever, gently patted Ash’s leg, trying to calm him down. “Pika pika…”

Ash blinked and looked down at his Pokémon, breathing hard. “Pikachu… what if we don’t?”

“Pika pi!” Pikachu scolded, giving him a determined look, as if to say Of course we will!

Ash took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “You’re right. I’ve gotta trust Brock and Tracy. They’ll find her. And we’ll save her, no matter what.”

But despite his words, the panic was still bubbling just beneath the surface. All he could do now was wait—and hope that his friends were as close to finding Misty as they believed.

When Brock and Tracy returned from their search, they stumbled upon quite the sight. Ash was lying on the ground, curled up into a tight ball, clutching his legs to his chest, his body visibly trembling. Pikachu stood next to him, its little paw gently patting Ash's head, clearly unsure of how to help its trainer who was on the verge of a full-blown breakdown.

Brock immediately rushed over. "Ash! Are you okay?!"

Ash didn’t respond. His eyes were shut tightly, and he was muttering incoherently under his breath. “Misty… lost… can’t save her…”

Pikachu looked up at Brock with worried eyes, its usual bright energy dampened by the sight of Ash in such a state. “Pika pika…” it said softly, as if asking Brock to do something—anything.

Tracy knelt down beside Ash, glancing between him and Brock. “I didn’t think he’d get this worked up… What do we do?”

Brock sighed deeply, kneeling down to gently shake Ash by the shoulder. "Ash, come on. You’ve got to pull yourself together, buddy. Misty’s counting on you."

Ash cracked one eye open but remained in his ball-like position. “But what if… what if we’re too late?” His voice cracked with raw emotion, the fear of losing Misty hitting him hard.

“We’re not too late,” Brock reassured him, his voice steady. “We’ve got a lead on where they’re keeping her. But we need you with us, Ash. Misty needs you.”

Ash blinked, looking at Brock with red-rimmed eyes. Slowly, he uncurled from his tight ball, though his movements were shaky. “Where… where is she?”

Tracy pulled out his sketchpad, flipping to a quick map he’d drawn of the area. “We tracked Team Rocket’s footprints leading to an old warehouse on the outskirts of town. They’ve probably got her there.”

Ash sat up fully, still clutching his knees but trying to steady his breathing. “Warehouse…” he mumbled, the gears in his brain slowly turning as he processed the information.

Pikachu jumped onto Ash’s lap, nuzzling him with encouragement. “Pika pi!” it chirped, trying to boost his spirits.

Brock stood and extended a hand to help Ash up. “You’ve got to be strong, Ash. Misty’s waiting for us, and we’ve got a plan. But we need you back in the game.”

Ash hesitated for a moment, then, with a deep breath, took Brock’s hand and stood up. His legs wobbled slightly, but the determination was slowly returning to his eyes. “You’re right,” he said, his voice still shaky but firm. “I can’t fall apart now. Misty needs me.”

Tracy nodded, a small smile on his face. “That’s the Ash we know.”

As they made their way through the forest, Ash frantically searched every possible hiding spot for Misty. His eyes darted from tree to tree, bush to bush, and even random piles of leaves. In his desperation, he turned to Brock and pointed at his seemingly endless backpack.

"Brock, what else do you have in there?!" Ash asked, breathless from the search.

Brock shrugged nonchalantly. "I’ve got all the essentials for a journey. Food, cooking supplies, medical kit..."

But Ash was not convinced. He snatched Brock’s bag, unzipping it with urgency. "We need something, anything to help find Misty!"

As he rummaged through the bag, he started pulling out the most bizarre collection of items. First, a foldable table. Then, an entire set of silverware and dishes. "How... how do you fit all this in here?"

Brock scratched the back of his head. "Hey, you never know when you’ll need—"

Before Brock could finish, Ash pulled out a full-sized toilet. He stared at it in disbelief, as did Pikachu, who tilted its head in confusion.

"Why do you have a toilet in your bag, Brock?!" Ash yelled, holding it up like a trophy of confusion.

Brock sighed, crossing his arms. "You never know when nature calls, Ash. Plus, it’s portable. See?" He knocked on it as if that would somehow justify the logic.

Ash stared blankly at the toilet before dropping it back into the bag. "This is... not helping." He moved on, pulling out more ridiculous items, like a fishing pole, an umbrella, and what looked like a tiny grill. Finally, he found a compass. "This! This might actually help!"

Brock chuckled. "Told you my bag was useful."

Ash muttered something about the absurdity of it all but pocketed the compass. He looked out toward the forest again, his determination building. “Come on, let’s keep looking! Misty’s out there somewhere.”

As Ash sprinted ahead, Pikachu following close behind, Brock slung the now much lighter bag over his shoulder. "I did pack a lot, but hey—I'm prepared for everything, even toilets in the wilderness."

Tracy, who had been watching the entire scene unfold in silent amusement, shook his head. “I don’t even want to ask how that works.”

Meanwhile, Misty was trapped in Team Rocket’s hideout, trying to kick her way out of the ropes that bound her. Her frustration mounted as her efforts only left her hands slightly burned from the friction. She gritted her teeth, thinking of Ash, hoping he was on his way.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Ash stood there, holding the mechanical Pikachu they had constructed. His eyes immediately locked on Misty, and without thinking, he dropped the fake Pikachu.

“Misty!” Ash cried out, running straight toward her.

He knelt beside her, quickly noticing her burnt hands. “Your hands… they’re burnt,” he said, his voice filled with concern as he started untying the ropes binding her.

Before Misty could respond, Team Rocket sprang into action. Jessie and James, with Meowth at their side, grabbed the mechanical Pikachu, not realizing it wasn’t the real one.

“This Pikachu is ours now!” Jessie sneered.

James added, “And soon, the twerps will have nothing left!”

But just as they tried to make their escape, Brock—who had slipped in moments after Ash—activated the remote control for the mechanical Pikachu. Sparks flew from the device as it unleashed a powerful shock, zapping Team Rocket. They yelled in unison, “Looks like Team Rocket’s blasting off agaaaain!” as they were sent flying into the sky.

Ash finished untying Misty’s ropes and helped her up. “Misty, your leg…”

Misty looked down in confusion. “Huh? My leg? Oh, it’s fine!” She tried to stand, but the moment she put weight on her leg, she winced and stumbled. “Okay… maybe it’s not fine,” she admitted sheepishly.

Ash wasted no time. “I’m carrying you,” he said firmly. Before Misty could protest, he scooped her up into his arms.

“A-Ash, you don’t have to—" Misty started, but Ash shook his head.

“Come on, Misty. I’m not leaving you behind,” he said with a soft but determined smile.

Misty blushed, her heart pounding in her chest, but she didn’t argue further. She leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling safe as Ash carried her out of the hideout, with Brock and Tracy following closely behind.

“Let’s get out of here,” Ash said, his voice filled with relief and confidence.

Back home, Brock was gently examining Misty’s leg, making sure nothing was broken. Meanwhile, Tracy sat nearby, sketching idly and keeping an eye on the situation. He glanced up at Ash and Misty, noting the tension in the air, and decided to speak up.

“You know, Misty,” Tracy said casually, “Ash was an absolute mess without you. I’ve never seen him freak out like that before.”

Ash immediately blushed, his face turning as red as a Charmeleon. “Tracy!” he exclaimed, clearly embarrassed.

But Tracy ignored Ash’s reaction, continuing as if he hadn’t said anything. “He was running around, sticking your picture on everything, asking everyone if they’d seen you. Honestly, it was kind of funny how panicked he was.”

Misty smiled softly at the thought, but before she could say anything, Ash quickly leaned down and whispered something to Pikachu.

Pikachu’s ears twitched mischievously as Ash gave a tiny nod, signaling something to his Pokémon. Tracy, oblivious to the exchange, kept talking, completely missing the smirk spreading across Pikachu’s face.

Ash quickly tried to change the subject. “So, Brock, how’s Misty doing? She’ll be fine, right?”

Brock gave a small nod, glancing between Ash and Misty with a knowing smile. “She’ll be fine, just a little rest and her leg will be as good as new.”

Ash let out a relieved breath, still trying to ignore Tracy’s teasing, but Misty caught his eye and gave him a warm smile. “Thanks, Ash,” she said quietly. “For everything.”

Ash rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, still blushing. “Of course, Misty. You know I’d do anything for you.”

Pikachu, meanwhile, was clearly planning something, but only Ash knew what was coming next.