As the sun began to rise, Ace and Ash's groups prepared to part ways after spending a night camping together. While Ash and his friends set off toward the northern path leading to the beach, Ace decided against joining them.
'If I remember correctly, that's where the whole giant Tentacruel incident happens,' Ace thought, glancing at Ash's retreating group. 'No thanks, I'd rather not get caught up in that chaos.'
Waving goodbye, Ace smiled and shouted, "Take care, Ash! Good luck with your journey!"
Ash turned and grinned, giving a thumbs-up. "You too, Ace! Let's meet again sometime!"
With that, the groups parted ways. Ace, May, Dawn, and Serena continued toward Celadon City. The morning breeze brushed past them as they rode their bikes along the forested path. The clear skies and chirping of wild Pokémon set a serene tone.
By 11:30 AM, the group stopped near a sparkling lake surrounded by lush greenery. The sunlight glinted off the water, and the area was teeming with wild Pokémon.
Ace hopped off his bike, taking a deep breath. "We're getting close to Celadon City," he announced. "But before we head there, I'd like to train for a bit. That okay with you girls?"
Dawn smiled as she adjusted her bag. "Of course! I wanted to observe some of the Pokémon around here anyway."
"Same here," May added, pulling out her notebook. "I've got to record data on their habitats and behaviors for Professor Birch."
Serena nodded in agreement. "Let's split up a bit and get to work. Just call us if you need anything, Ace."
Ace grinned. "Thanks, everyone!"
The girls unpacked their equipment, setting up cameras and notebooks to document the wild Pokémon nearby. Meanwhile, Ace reached for his Poké Balls.
"Alright, team, let's get some training in!" Ace said, tossing the balls into the air.
In a flash of light, his Pokémon materialized before him: Smeargle, Primeape, Elekid, Starmie, Clefairy, Nidorino, Scyther, Dratini, and Fearow. The group stood in a semicircle, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Ace scanned his team with a proud smile. 'Nine Pokémon so far,' he thought. 'Just three more to fill my limit, and I already know one of them. Aerodactyl.'
The very thought of the ancient Flying-type Pokémon sent a shiver of excitement through him. 'That Aerodactyl near Grampa Canyon is no joke. If it's the same one I remember from Ash's journey, it gave Charizard a run for its money. And it didn't even use any moves—just pure strength and speed.'
His gaze shifted back to his team, now starting their warm-up under Clefairy's Gravity ability.
"But before that," Ace muttered under his breath, "I need to make sure some of you are ready." His eyes lingered on Nidorino, Scyther, and Primeape.
Ace decided he will evolve Scyther, Primeape, Nidorino and Clefairy after the Celadon gym battle as all of them are close to using all their power. And in case of Nidorino, even though it evolved yesterday, Ace planned to evolve it when they reach grampa canyon after loading Nidorino with some TMs he will buy for it and the rest of his team along with some held items. His account also has quite the amount of cash after all the battles he did as he consistently battles everyone to train his Pokemon.
"Alright, team!" Ace clapped his hands, grabbing their attention. "Let's focus on speed and power today. Clefairy, keep using Gravity to increase the pressure. Everyone else, train under it and push your limits!"
Clefairy nodded, its stubby arms glowing as it cast the ability. The surrounding air grew dense, and the Pokémon began to feel the weight increase.
"Primeape, work on your footwork and punches! Use Mach Punch and Seismic Toss!" Ace called out.
Primeape roared, punching the air with blinding speed before grappling a nearby rock and hurling it with a mighty toss.
"Nidorino, focus on Double Kick and Horn Attack! Build up your strength in your legs and horn!"
The Poison-type grunted in acknowledgment, leaping toward a tree and practicing its kicks and jabs with precision.
"Scyther, your speed is your strength, but you need to control it better. Practice Agility and Slash on those targets!"
The Bug/Flying-type nodded, its blades glinting in the sunlight as it dashed toward wooden targets Ace had set up earlier.
Ace's other Pokémon trained in their own ways, with Elekid sparring with Dratini, Starmie practicing its water-based moves near the lake, and Fearow honing its flight maneuvers.
Smeargle had activated his overdrive mode and was training to maintain it. He was running around the field while keeping the overdrive mode under constant control to not lose the state.
While Ace and the girls were busy with their training and research, the scene shifted elsewhere.
In a dimly lit room that carried the faint scent of smoke and metal, Sin, the Darkrai-masked assassin, strode through a narrow hallway. His boots echoed against the tiled floor as he pushed open a creaking door. Inside was a lavish yet sinister office, illuminated only by the glow of a desk lamp and the faint green hue of monitors displaying live feeds from various locations.
Sitting at the desk, his sharp suit pristine and his smirk oozing confidence, was Proton—one of Team Rocket's cunning executives. Proton leaned back in his chair, his fingers intertwined as he regarded Sin with a mixture of amusement and calculation.
Sin tilted his head slightly, his mask concealing his expression. His voice, however, was laced with both curiosity and menace. "Proton. What do you want?"
Proton's smirk widened. "Ah, Sin. Right on time. I've got a little job for you."
Sin let out a dark chuckle, crossing his arms. "A job, huh? You must be desperate if you're calling me. You should know I was busy playing with the new toy Giovanni gave me."
Proton shrugged nonchalantly. "Desperate? Hardly. You're just the best at what you do. And for this particular task, I need the best."
Sin's eyes narrowed behind his mask as he stepped closer. "Cut to the chase. What's the job?"
Proton opened a drawer and pulled out a folder. Its label, written in bold red letters, read: Project Bird Fusion. He set it on the desk, tapping the top of the file with a gloved finger.
Sin glanced at it, curiosity piqued. 'Bird Fusion? What kind of twisted experiment is this lunatic running now?' he thought to himself.
Proton leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'll be tied up with the operations at the Celadon Game Corner. Big things are happening there—rare Pokémon, underground dealings, you name it. I need someone I trust to take care of... a different matter."
Sin raised an eyebrow beneath his mask, though his tone remained as cold as ever. "And what does this 'different matter' involve?"
Proton slid three slips of paper from the folder, tucking the file back into the drawer before Sin could get a closer look. He held the slips out, and Sin plucked them from his hand with a fluid motion.
"Three objectives," Proton explained. "Complete these, and you'll be generously compensated."
Sin unfolded the slips and scanned their contents. A twisted grin formed beneath his mask as he read them. His low, guttural chuckle reverberated in the room. "Unova, huh? Sounds like a fun little vacation."
Proton's smile mirrored Sin's dark amusement. "Let's just say... the future of this project hinges on those three items. And if anyone can acquire them, it's you."
Sin stuffed the slips into his pocket, stepping back toward the door. "Fine. But don't think about short-changing me when this is done, Proton. You know what happens to people who try to double-cross me. Not even Giovanni will save you from my wrath."
Proton's smirk didn't falter. "Relax, Sin. You'll be paid handsomely, as always. Just get the job done."
Without another word, Sin turned and walked out of the office, his long coat billowing behind him. 'Bird Fusion, huh? Whatever Proton's cooking up, it sounds messy. But a trip to Unova? This might actually be worth my time. Just thinking about the Chaos I can cause is making me want to go on a killing spree.'
As the door clicked shut behind him, Proton leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled as he stared at the closed door. "Good luck, Sin," he murmured, his smirk widening. "You'll need it."
(Pls give me some power stones!)
(Find out next time on Pokemon:Ace's Adventures!)