Pokemon : Rewind-Chapter 474 - 61: The Gift

Casey stood frozen, staring at Ash in disbelief. However, Ash had already turned his attention back to the stage, completely unaware of Casey's stunned expression.

After a while, the results for all Trainers were displayed on the large screen. As expected, Ash emerged victorious in the Bug-Catching Contest, with the Scyther he captured earning the highest score.

When the host announced the results, Ash walked up to the stage amidst a wave of applause. His win was no surprise to anyone, and there were no objections from the audience.

"Congratulations, Mr. Ash. Here is your prize, the Sun Stone," said the middle-aged man who had earlier explained the competition rules. He was likely a mid-level official from the Johto League.

R𝑒ad lat𝒆st chapt𝒆rs at free𝑤ebnovel.com Only.

"Thank you," Ash replied, accepting the Sun Stone.

The Sun Stone was a rare evolutionary item, resembling the radiance of the sun. It could be used to evolve specific Pokémon, such as Gloom into Bellossom or Helioptile into Heliolisk.

Due to its scarcity, the Sun Stone was considered quite valuable, both in terms of function and market price.

Since Ash already had a full team of six Pokémon, he temporarily sent Gengar back to Professor Oak's lab to make room for Beedrill.

—-

After the award ceremony, Ash politely declined the middle-aged man's invitation to dinner.

He then rejoined Misty and Brock and left the National Park with Casey, eventually setting up camp in a nearby clearing.

"It's so great to eat Brock's cooking again!" Casey hummed a cheerful tune while playing cards with Misty. The earlier teasing from the other Trainers seemed like a distant memory.

"Brock's cooking is excellent," Misty agreed, though she couldn't resist a jab. "But his habit of acting like a fool around pretty girls cancels out all the goodwill his cooking earns him."

"I heard that," Brock muttered, narrowly avoiding cutting his finger as he prepared the meal.

"If you didn't act so weird every time you met someone you liked, you might already have a girlfriend," Ash teased as he emerged from his tent, having finished organizing his belongings.

"You just don't understand, Ash," Brock said with a dramatic flair. "Mature, beautiful women prefer someone like me—not yellow-haired girls like Misty." His smug remark was clearly revenge for Misty's earlier criticism.

"I don't need someone like you to like me," Misty retorted with disdain. "I already have Ash!"

Ash looked up in surprise, but Misty quickly turned away, her cheeks tinged with pink. Meanwhile, Casey glanced between Ash and Misty, her expression unreadable.

—

"By the way, Casey, this is for you," Ash said, pulling out a Poké Ball and holding it out to her.

"Huh? What's this?" Misty and Brock looked at him curiously.

"This is Beedrill," Ash explained. "I already have one, and Casey loves yellow, striped Pokémon. Beedrill suits her preferences perfectly, so I'm giving it to her."

Casey's eyes widened. "Are you serious? You're really giving it to me?"

"Of course," Ash said with a smile. "I promised you earlier, didn't I? Beedrill deserves a good Trainer, and I know you'll take great care of it."

Overcome with emotion, Casey suddenly stood up and hugged Ash tightly. "Thank you so much, Ash! I'll take such good care of it!"

Misty pursed her lips, her gaze shifting between Ash and Casey. She sighed, knowing Ash had no ulterior motives, but she couldn't help feeling a twinge of annoyance.

"As expected of Ash," Brock said, stroking his chin. "Such a natural at winning people over. I could learn a thing or two..."

—

During dinner, Casey's spirits were higher than ever. She smiled nonstop, occasionally glancing at Ash and giggling to herself.

"It's just a Beedrill," Misty muttered under her breath. She cleared her throat and said pointedly, "Ash only gave it to you because he already has one!"

"But I really love Beedrill!" Casey exclaimed, oblivious to Misty's tone. "If Ash hadn't given it to me, who knows how long it would've taken for me to train one myself! I'll definitely use it to win battles, especially at Goldenrod Gym!"

Ash chuckled nervously. "You don't have to go that far, Casey..."

But Casey wasn't listening. She happily hummed the Electabuzz team's theme song as she ate, her excitement undimmed.

Halfway through the meal, Casey suddenly looked up. "By the way, Ash, what's the gender of your Beedrill?"

"Male," Ash replied, puzzled. "Why do you ask?"

"That's perfect!" Casey said with a beaming smile. "The Beedrill you gave me is female. If we pair them up in the future, their offspring will be incredibly strong!"

Ash blinked in surprise, but Casey's enthusiasm was genuine. Misty, on the other hand, was less amused.

"If Casey starts liking Ash," Misty thought with growing irritation, "I'll have another rival to deal with. And with her cute looks and lively personality, she'd be a top contender..."

Meanwhile, Ash was lost in thought, considering Casey's idea. The offspring of two strong Beedrill could indeed inherit significant potential.

However, breeding Pokémon was a long-term endeavor, and Ash knew it would be years before such a plan bore fruit.

For now, though, the moment belonged to Casey. Her joy was infectious, and the bond between her, Ash, and the rest of the group grew stronger with each passing day.

________________________

Join my Patreon for more advance Chapters