Blue fell into deep thought.
She recalled everything that had happened since she met August—from the Celadon Game Corner to Lt. Surge at the Vermilion Gym.
And the countless poachers August had arrested during his time as a ranger…
It seemed like everything August did was for the Pokémon League.
His contributions alone had turned the League’s previous helplessness against Team Rocket into a situation where they could strike back with force.
Forget what August says—look at what he actually does.
Based on his actions, August was absolutely the moral backbone of the League!
So this is who you really are, August.
Blue looked at August with an expression that said, I finally understand you now.
August was completely baffled. “What’s with that look?”
“You’re not seriously believing what those guys just said, are you? That I’m the League’s moral compass?”
He had just been casually running his mouth earlier!
Blue gave him a skeptical look.
Come on, you’re totally devoted to the League. You just don’t like admitting it.
“Whatever, believe what you want.” Seeing her expression, August couldn’t be bothered to explain further.
If they wanted to see him as the League’s moral backbone, so be it. It wasn’t a bad thing, after all.
“So, where to next? Pewter Gym?” Blue asked eagerly.
Acting as an examiner for Gym Leader evaluations was a novel experience for her—she found it pretty fun.
But August wasn’t someone who spent every waking moment working for the League.
“No rush. Let’s grab lunch first. Last time we were in Cerulean City, we didn’t stay long enough to try some of the high-end specialty restaurants. This time, we’re making up for that.”
—
Ash and his group had already been in Lampurchi City for some time. After finishing a full day of work, even Pikachu was sprawled out on the sand, too exhausted to move.
Ash and Brock slumped over a table, completely drained.
“Why do we have to work here?!”
Misty finally snapped.
They had gotten tickets for the S.S. Anne back at Vermilion Harbor, but before they even got to enjoy the luxury cruise, they found out the League was using the ship to crack down on Team Rocket—rendering their tickets useless.
With no choice, they had taken a small passenger boat to Lampurchi City instead.
Yet, despite arriving at this vacation paradise, they hadn’t even had a moment to enjoy it before being forced into work.
“That’s because you guys wrecked my boat! You’re not going anywhere until you pay off the damages!”
Old Man Ryu, the owner of the Beach House, eyed the trio warily, worried they might suddenly make a run for it. If they did, no one would be left to cover the cost.
Misty’s arms went limp as she sank into despair.
Suddenly, the communicator on her waist started ringing.
Moving like a zombie, she pulled it out and answered. “Hello…? This is Misty, completely exhausted. Can you call back tomorrow?”
She was about to hang up when a familiar voice came through.
“Misty, we have some bad news.”
It was her eldest sister, Daisy.
“…What news?”
Misty was surprised Daisy was calling, but she didn’t feel the slightest concern.
What could possibly be worse than being forced to work when she should be relaxing on the beach?
“Well… the League’s Gym assessment officer just visited our Gym for an evaluation. We… failed the assessment, and now we’ve been issued a remediation notice.”
“Remediation? Got it…”
Misty responded instinctively, ready to end the call.
But then, something clicked in her brain.
“Wait… what did you just say?!” Her voice suddenly shot up.
Daisy’s tone was heavy. “We failed the Gym assessment. The League has given us a 60-day remediation notice. If we don’t pass the re-evaluation in 60 days… the Gym will be shut down.”
She then explained the entire process in detail.
Misty was now wide awake.
“You guys… I…”
She cycled through several ways to address her sisters but couldn’t find the words.
How was she supposed to express what she was feeling right now?
She had left the Gym in their care, and it hadn’t even been that long.
Yet somehow, her three sisters had already managed to get the Gym shut down!
There was only one thing left to say:
“Wait for me! I’m coming back immediately!”
With that, she turned to Ash and Brock, who were still contemplating their debt.
“There’s an emergency at the Gym—I have to leave right away.”
Ash blinked in confusion. “What kind of emergency could a Gym even have?”
Brock, on the other hand, immediately sensed the urgency. As a fellow Gym Leader, he was more perceptive about these things. “What happened?”
Misty quickly summed it up.
“The League is conducting a new round of Gym evaluations, and my sisters screwed up. The Cerulean Gym has been ordered to undergo remediation… Brock, you should check on your Gym too.”
Without waiting for a response, Misty rushed toward the Pokémon rental station to hire a Flying-type Pokémon.
“…Gym assessment?”
Ash was still confused.
But Brock frowned deeply.
Even though he had left Onix at the Pewter Gym, and his father was still there to manage things, he couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t enough.
If he had to guess, this round of evaluations was probably tied to the revelation of Lt. Surge’s connections to Team Rocket.
That thought alone made him uneasy.
Pewter Gym was vital—it was his family’s livelihood.
Brock grabbed Ash by the shoulders. “Ash, I need to head back to Pewter Gym. Take care of things here—I’ll be back soon!”
With that, he took off after Misty, heading straight for the Pokémon rental station.
Ash and Pikachu exchanged bewildered looks.
“What the heck just happened?!”
How had he ended up alone in an instant?
Just then, Old Man Ryu stepped out of the Beach House. When he saw Ash standing there by himself, his expression immediately darkened.
“Where did the other two go? I’m warning you, don’t even think about running away!”
Ash and Pikachu suddenly remembered their unpaid debt.
With three people working, they had at least stood a chance.
But now, with just him left…
The thought of having to do triple the work sent Ash spiraling into despair.
But then, he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure…
—
This is a fan translation of 人在实教，一之濑你会后悔的 by 作者：白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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