Few days had passed since Ash's first gym battle in Pewter City, and now he, Misty, and Brock were steadily making their way toward Mt. Moon.
The journey had been smooth so far, with no major events—just Ash focusing intently on training and battling wild Pokémon along the route.
After defeating Brock, Ash had received his quest rewards from the system: 10,000 Pokédollars and a TM for Rock Tomb.
Eager to strengthen his team, he decided to use some of his reward money to buy Swords Dance and Dragon Dance.
He taught Swords Dance to Scyther, sharpening its skills, and Dragon Dance to Gyarados, enhancing its strength and speed. He had also swapped out his Butterfree and Beedrill for Pidgeotto and Fearow as they approached the base of Mt. Moon.
As they reached the foot of Mt. Moon, Misty looked around and asked Brock, "Where's the entrance? Are we close?"
Brock nodded, glancing at the rocky landscape. "Yeah, we're almost there. Just a little farther."
Ash, pulled out his Arc Dex and showed Misty the map. "Don't worry, Misty," he said, pointing at the screen. "We're almost right on top of it."
Just then, a sudden scream for help broke the quiet. The trio quickly turned toward the noise, spotting a man being swarmed by a horde of Zubat.
Reacting swiftly, Ash called out, "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu, who had been sitting calmly on Ash's shoulder, leaped into action. With a flash of electricity, it unleashed a crackling Thunderbolt that knocked out all the Zubat mid-flight. The swarm scattered, leaving the man unharmed.
Breathing a sigh of relief, the man hurried over to them, still catching his breath. "Thank you! You really saved me!" he exclaimed.
Ash smiled reassuringly, while Pikachu returned to his shoulder, chirping cheerfully, "Pika!"
As the man thanked them profusely, Brock stepped forward, curious. "Who are you, and why were those Zubat attacking you?"
The man adjusted his glasses and introduced himself. "I'm Professor Seymour. I've been studying the Pokémon around Mt. Moon, particularly Clefairy and their connection to the Moon Stone."
Gathering his composure, Professor Seymour continued, "I believe the Zubat were agitated because someone lit up the cave when I entered. It startled them, and they started attacking."
Misty raised an eyebrow. "You mean someone else is in there?"
Professor Seymour nodded. "Yes, the light must have disturbed them. I was hoping to study the Clefairy's behavior in their natural habitat, but it seems the noise and light scared the Zubat."
Brock looked concerned. "We should be careful, then. If there's someone else in there, we don't want to cause any more trouble."
As Professor Seymour explained the situation, Ash was sure Team Rocket was involved. They always show up when things get chaotic, he thought with a sigh.
Determined to help, Ash turned to his friends. "Let's check it out together. We need to help the Pokémon in danger!"
With their minds made up, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Professor Seymour entered the cave.
Inside the cave, the group immediately noticed lights installed everywhere, casting an unnatural glow throughout the dark cavern.
Ash turned to Brock and said, "Let's remove all this light. It feels wrong."
Brock nodded in agreement. "Definitely. It's too bright in here."
Together, they worked quickly to dismantle the lights, allowing the cave to return to its natural darkness. Once the lights were gone, Ash pulled out his Arc Pokédex and activated the flashlight feature as they ventured deeper into the cave.
Suddenly, they spotted a Clefairy holding a stone in its hands, moving purposefully in a specific direction.
Brock glanced at Ash and said, "We should follow it. It might lead us to something important."
As they trailed behind the Clefairy, they approached a hollowed-out section of the cave. As they entered, they were greeted by the sight of a large stone at the center, surrounded by many Clefairy dancing around it in joyful celebration.
Professor Seymour raised a hand to signal for them to wait. "Let's see what the Clefairy will do with the stone," he suggested, watching their movements with intrigue.
Brock nodded and said, "Alright, let's set up camp here for the night. It looks peaceful enough."
As Ash and Misty set up the camp, Brock got to work cooking dinner for everyone. The enticing fragrance wafted through the air, drawing the attention of the nearby Clefairy, who paused their activities to come closer.
Brock smiled, calling out, "I made enough for everyone!" The Clefairy eagerly gathered around, ready to share in the meal.
Once dinner was finished and the sun had set, the group—Ash, Misty, Brock, and Professor Seymour—sat together near the campfire. The warm glow of the flames illuminated their faces as they shared stories and laughter.
Suddenly, they noticed that all the Clefairy, who had been resting after dinner, became active again, dancing in circles around the large stone, their movements synchronized and filled with excitement.
Professor Seymour's eyes widened with anticipation. "Something is about to happen," he said, watching the Clefairy's performance closely.
As they observed, a faint sound of footsteps echoed from near the entrance of the cave. The group turned their heads, and as the silhouettes of three figures came into view, Ash sighed, a sense of resignation washing over him. He knew who it was—the infamous trio of Team Rocket.
As the trio stepped further into the light, they began their iconic dialogue, "Team Rocket blasting off at the speed of light! Surrender now or prepare to fight!" But midway through their dramatic entrance, they suddenly paused, noticing that no one was paying them any attention.
Ash, Misty, Brock, and Professor Seymour were all focused on the enchanting dance of the Clefairy, completely oblivious to the interruption. Jessie, James, and Meowth exchanged confused glances, their momentum halted, as they realized their usual theatrics had fallen flat this time.
"Hey! Pay attention when someone's talking to you!" they shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the cave.
Startled, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Professor Seymour shifted their focus from the Clefairy to the trio, who stood with exaggerated postures, arms crossed defiantly.
Misty crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "What do you want now?"
Jessie, with a dramatic flair, pointed toward the large stone at the center of the cave. "We're here to steal that big stone!"
James chimed in, grinning. "And all those adorable Clefairy, too! Just think of the fortune we could make!"
Meowth added, rubbing his paws together. "Yeah, we'll be rich!"
Saying this, Team Rocket took out their Pokémon, ready to battle. Ash quickly released his Pidgeotto, while Brock sent out his newly caught Zubat.
"Did you catch that Zubat when you knocked out a bunch of them at the entrance?" Ash asked, glancing at Brock with a grin.
"Yeah, I did!" Brock replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
With their Pokémon ready, the battle began. Pidgeotto soared through the air, launching a Quick Attack at Team Rocket's Ekans, while Zubat swooped in with Supersonic, disorienting Koffing.
"Ekans, use Wrap!" Jessie shouted, but Pidgeotto dodged effortlessly, countering with a Gust attack that sent Ekans tumbling backward.
Brock commanded Zubat, "Use Bite!" Zubat lunged at Koffing, landing a solid hit.
"Not so fast! Koffing, use Poison Gas!" James ordered, but Ash quickly reacted.
"Pidgeotto, use Whirlwind!" Ash shouted. The powerful gust blew away the poisonous gas, clearing the air.
With a flurry of attacks, Pidgeotto and Zubat worked together seamlessly. After a few moments of intense battling, Team Rocket found themselves overwhelmed.
"Looks like this isn't going our way!" Meowth exclaimed, panic rising in his voice.
With a final attack from Zubat and Pidgeotto, Team Rocket was sent flying through the cave, leaving Ash and his friends victorious. The Clefairy, who had been watching the battle, resumed their playful dance around the large stone.
After defeating Team Rocket, Professor Seymour expressed his gratitude to Ash and Brock for defending the stone. As he spoke, a remarkable sight caught his attention: several Clefairy holding stones began to glow with a radiant light.
"Look! They're evolving!" Seymour exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement as the Clefairy transformed into Clefable right before their eyes.
Seymour quickly explained, "It seems the presence of the stone is linked to their evolution. They must have a deep connection to it." His voice was filled with wonder as the newly evolved Clefable danced joyfully around the cave.
With everything safe and calm, the group settled down for the night. The warm glow from the Clefable created a soothing ambiance, casting flickering shadows on the cave walls. As night fell, Ash, Misty, and Brock drifted off to sleep.
The following morning, the trio packed their belongings, ready to leave the cave behind. As they approached the entrance, Misty turned to Professor Seymour, curiosity evident on her face. "Are you coming with us to Cerulean City?" she asked.
Seymour shook his head, smiling warmly. "No, I'll be staying here for a few more days to study the Clefairy and their connection to this stone. You all should go ahead; I'm sure you'll have plenty of adventures without me."
With a wave, Ash, Misty, and Brock said their goodbyes to Seymour before setting off toward Cerulean City.