"I'm so sorry for troubling you!" Ash bowed slightly to Professor Oak, even though it wasn't entirely his fault.
The staff also approached and explained the what had happenend. Professor Oak was surprised when he heard what Ash did.
The other children were especially shocked when they learned that Ash had defeated a Fearow. They all looked at him with admiration, but Gary was even more stunned.
In the past, Gary always used his knowledge of Pokémon to belittle Ash, but he still wasn't a real Trainer; everything he knew was theoretical.
However, today Ash defeated Fearow using Growlithe, which isn't his own Pokémon.
This really shook Gary.
"Hmph! If it were me, I could do the same!" His competitive spirit flared up. As the grandson of a Pokémon Professor and hailing from a distinguished family, he was naturally unwilling to admit defeat.
"I'm sorry, Ash only did it because of me..." Serena saw Ash apologizing and stepped forward to speak, since Ash had gone there to save her. She felt responsible and thought she should be punished if anyone was.
"Don't worry about it. As long as everyone is fine. If you become a Trainer in the future, encountering such situations in the wild is common."
"When you face such situations, you must calmly assess your the situation and see if you can handle it. If you can't handle it, then don't be reckless and look for a safe area and contact for help!"
"If you meet a Trainer in trouble in the wild, do your best to help them!" Professor Oak wasn't angry at Ash and Serena for causing trouble.
In fact, it was because they weren't prepared for such a situation. The best result was that both children were unharmed. If something had happened to them, it would have been difficult to explain.
He also took the opportunity to teach a lesson to the children present.
Ash thought to himself, "As expected of Professor Oak, he can still teach even in this situation." He wasn't worried that Professor Oak would be angry; he had never seen him angry.
"Understood!!" The children listened and responded in unison.
"Alright, everyone has had a tiring day. Rest here, and we'll start preparing lunch soon. You can play in the nearby open space, but don't enter the jungle!"
Professor Oak gave instructions to everyone, and the children responded seriously. The recent incident served as a wake-up call, ensuring they wouldn't dare to run around carelessly.
The staff released all the Pokémon to guard the area. Growlithe, with its keen sense of smell, could provide a good warning of any approaching danger.
The children were delighted to see that many Growlithes, but two of the Growlithes ran towards Ash, barking happily. Naturally, they were the ones who had fought with Ash.
The other Growlithes seemed interested as well, and soon a few of them gathered around Ash, learning about what had just happened. They naturally started getting close to him.
Surrounded by Growlithes, Ash felt a little overwhelmed but very happy.
The other children saw how popular Ash was with the Pokémon, and their eyes were full of envy. They gathered around him, asking how he bonded with Pokémon.
After a while, Ash finally managed to address all their questions. He squatted down and gently stroked the head of one of the Growlithe, which responded by licking his hand affectionately.
"Would you like to try petting it ?"
Serena, who had been standing on the side watching, thought the Growlithe were cute and wanted to approach them but felt a bit scared. Ash noticed it and asked her.
"Ah?? Yes... is it okay?" Serena was slightly taken aback by Ash's question, then asked expectantly.
"Of course, they are very obedient!"
Encouraged by Ash's words, Serena swallowed nervously and stretched out her hand cautiously. Seeing this, the Growlithe held by Ash moved its head toward her.
Serena was startled and pulled her hand back slightly.
"It's okay!" Ash said with a smile. Serena gathered her courage and reached out again.
Finally, she touched Growlithe's head, and Growlithe seemed to enjoy it, rubbing its head against her hand and then licking her palm with its tongue.
"Haha! It's so ticklish!"
"I want to try too!" Seeing this, the other children were inspired and all gathered around to interact with the Growlithe. Fortunately, these Growlithe were well-trained in a lab and were very familiar with humans, making them gentle.
"What a group of kids!" Gary stood not far away, watching the scene. He also petted them but was tsundere, though he soon found himself enjoying the moment too.
. . . . .
"Professor, is this safe? Fearow was here, and I don't know if it will appear again!" The staff were happy to see the children having fun but still felt a bit worried.
"It's okay. The Spearow group was led by Fearow. After Fearow was defeated, they won't likely return."
Professor Oak, an expert on Pokémon ecology, understood Fearow's habits well. Fearow is a very territorial and domineering Pokémon. It bullies the weak but fears the strong. Once defeated, it doesn't provoke stronger enemies again. Seeing Fearow defeated, Spearow would naturally avoid the area.
"Understood!"
"However, just in case, we still need to take precautions." Despite being confident, Professor Oak remained cautious, considering the safety of so many children.
"Got it!"
The staff responded and went back to their tasks, including preparing lunch. Meanwhile, Professor Oak watched Ash interact with the other children.
"Your child is as excellent as you," he said to himself, smiling kindly as he looked at Ash.