The Professor didn't wake up until after 9 o'clock, and Misty and Brock didn't leave the lighthouse. However, upon seeing Professor Bill, they realized it was no big deal.
Misty and Brock weren't sure whether to bring up the previous conversation again. If Professor Bill didn't want to discuss it, mentioning it might only make him more uncomfortable, so they chose to remain silent.
As usual, Professor Bill asked about Ash while eating breakfast. The two gave a brief response. After learning that Ash was still practicing, Professor Bill nodded slightly. After breakfast, he returned to his research.
Meanwhile, Ash had made great progress. Pikachu could now move quickly on the water. To put it simply, it could run forward with the waves, but when using the Surf technique, it wouldn't need to move as much. If Pikachu could summon the waves, it would be able to control them.
For now, Pikachu was still riding on natural ocean waves. It needed to learn how to summon the waves on its own.
Ash wasn't sure how to help Pikachu with this, so he asked Squirtle, since Squirtle was a Water-type Pokémon.
Although Squirtle hadn't mastered Surf yet, it moved like a fish in water, and its Water Gun attack came from seemingly nowhere, so it might understand the process better.
Of course, Ash let Pikachu ask Squirtle directly, since he couldn't understand Pokémon language himself. Pikachu and Squirtle spent a long time communicating, and finally, Pikachu returned to Ash and gestured back and forth.
Ash observed for a while. Luckily, he and Pikachu had a good bond, or he might not have understood it at all. The general idea was to first feel the power of the water and then gather energy in the body to summon it.
In fact, every Pokémon has energy within them. This energy isn't divided into types on its own but is converted into elemental energy based on the Pokémon's natural type, which allows them to use their attacks.
So, Pikachu would need to learn to sense the flow of water before attempting to convert its energy into Water-type energy. It would be challenging for Pikachu, but not impossible.
This kind of energy usage would consume stamina, but it would also gradually recover with rest and nutrition.
"Huh huh huh!"
To better sense the power of water, Ash and Pikachu sat directly on the beach, as if meditating, with their backs to the sea. Every time the waves came in, they would crash against them.
The waves were rough, and Pikachu was nearly swept away several times. Ash didn't fare much better, sitting in his swimming trunks with his back fully exposed to the sea.
Each time a big wave hit, it impacted Ash's back. Once or twice was manageable, but after dozens or even hundreds of waves, his back was completely red. However, in order to connect with his Pokémon, Ash closed his eyes and remained silent.
In this meditative state, he could only hear the sound of the waves, and slowly, he began to feel the flow of the water.
This mysterious sensation captivated Ash, and he felt as though some kind of energy was being stirred within him.
Ash had always known there was an unexplained power within him. Over the years, he'd tried to control it and noticed that his strength increased with training.
But once his physical training reached a certain point, it plateaued.
Now, with this focused meditation, the power seemed to be awakening again. Ash was quietly shocked—could it be that this power didn't just rely on physical strength but also on mental focus?
But the concept of spiritual power was too mysterious, and Ash had never really encountered it before. Without knowing how to control it, he couldn't grasp its secrets. However, feeling the power growing stronger, he didn't overthink it—after all, any improvement in his abilities was a good thing.
Pikachu's progress, on the other hand, was slower. It couldn't quite find the focused state that Squirtle had described. But Ash wasn't in a hurry. He stayed by Pikachu's side, patient and supportive. Time passed quickly, and it wasn't until Misty came to remind them to eat that they realized how long they'd been training.
After lunch, they resumed their practice, continuing with meditation. Yet, sensing the power of the water seemed to be the most difficult part. Two days passed with only minor progress.
Whether it was significant or not, this was the last day of their practice session, and the other Pokémon had already completed their training. All the new moves had been learned, and Charmander's firepower had improved significantly. Only Pikachu's Surf technique remained unfinished. If Pikachu couldn't get it right today, Ash would have to stop for now and continue training later.
Though they hadn't fully mastered the move, Ash knew they wouldn't need to stay at the beach for training anymore. Pikachu, however, was a little frustrated by the lack of success.
"It's okay, we still have one more day. Don't worry," Ash said gently, patting Pikachu's head to reassure it.
"Pika!"
Pikachu responded positively, and Ash took it back to the coast to meditate once again. From the lighthouse, Misty and Brock watched the scene. It had been several days of this same routine.
Every day, Ash's back turned red from the constant battering of the waves, and the saltwater only made it more painful. Thankfully, Brock had special ointment to help with the soreness, though applying it was painful too. Misty had tried to convince Ash to take it easier several times, but he refused to listen.
"Here we go again. Ash won't last if he keeps this up," Misty said, leaning against the railing with concern.
"There's nothing we can do. Ash is stubborn, and he won't listen to anyone. But that's just who he is," Brock said, shaking his head slightly. He understood Ash's determination and, deep down, admired it.
Just then, Professor Bill came up to them.
"There you are!"
"Is something wrong, Professor?" Misty asked.
"Is Ash still practicing? You need to go get him—there's a hurricane coming, and the beach is about to get very dangerous! He needs to get back quickly!" Professor Bill said urgently, looking up at the sky.
Misty and Brock looked up as well. The sun was still shining overhead, but when they glanced out toward the sea, they saw dark clouds gathering in the distance.
The weather by the seaside could change quickly, and it wasn't unusual for clear skies to turn stormy in a matter of moments.
Professor Bill, who had lived there for many years, knew the signs all too well. Even though the dark clouds seemed far off, they would be upon them sooner than expected.