Ash and Cassie were now on the train heading towards Lavender Town.
"Finally a relaxing part of this trip." Cassie said, bouncing on the bed.
"Yeah, relaxing." Ash said, looking out the window.
"Okay, what's on your mind, I know things haven't been great, but you've been wanting to get to Lavender for a while, shouldn't you be happy?" Cassie asked.
"I know I should, but I feel like things are just getting more complicated, and that Lavender Town is more of just a check on the list than an actual goal." Ash said. "I mean Team Rocket has a super robot, and who knows what it's for, and now I've got to bring Seel to Seafoam Islands, how am I even going to get him there?"
"You know I actually think Seels are really cute, why not just keep him?" Cassie plead.
"Because it's not right, he should get to chose if he wants to join us, and I don't want to make that any harder on him, so until we're at Seafoam, I don't plan on using him if I can help it." Ash said.
"There's something else, isn't there?" Cassie asked.
"It's Jigglypuff, she's never refused to help like she did in the cave, what if she doesn't want me to be her trainer anymore?" Ash said, looking at her Pokeball.
"To be fair, I feel like she was never fond of having a trainer in the first place." Cassie said. "Besides, if she wanted to leave, she would have when she first got the microphone, buy her one, and go from there."
"I just don't know where to start." Ash sighed.
"Start with Jigglypuff, that's the only one you can do immediately." Cassie said. "This train is huge, it has to have a gift shop or something. Besides didn't Amaya give us some money for helping clear out the Tentacool as well?"
"You're right, let's start there." Ash said., before hearing his stomach growl. "Actually let's start with lunch."
A bit later after some lunch
"Okay, so I was told that this is the cart where I could buy things such as gear and souvenirs." Ash said, entering a new cart.
"Do you think they'll have microphones?" Cassie asked.
"No clue." Ash said. "Only one way to find out though."
"Oh we have a variety of microphones." The clerk said.
"Seriously, that seems odd." Ash admitted.
"Most of them are just novelty but we have a few actual ones." The clerk said. "Right over there."
"Thanks." Ash said. "Alright Jigglypuff, come on out!"
Jigglypuff popped out of her Pokeball, angry for a moment before seeing a selection of microphones.
"Jiggly." Jigglypuff said in awe.
"Go ahead Jigglypuff, I think I have enough for any of them." Ash said.
Jigglypuff looked up and down the microphones, before setting her eyes on a golden one.
"Jiggly!"
"Tuff!"
Jigglypuff grabbed the microphone, only for another pink Pokémon to grab it from the other side.
"Oh I'm sorry I think we were here first." Ash apologized.
"You should be sorry." A rather rotund woman in fancy clothes said. "Now I believe that microphone is ours."
"See, my Jigglypuff lost her microphone recently, and I promised her a new one, and she really wants this one." Ash said.
"Please, I get my Wigglytuff the new model every year, you will not take that away from him." The woman said.
"Madame Chafore, I'm so sorry, should I have the boy removed from the cart." The clerk said.
"No matter, he will simply pay for the microphone as compensation for wasting my time." Madame Cofore said.
"Only way I'm paying for that is if I am walking out with it." Ash said angrily.
"Now listen here child, respect your elders, apologize then buy me my microphone and we can forget about this tiff." Madame Cofore said.
"No." Ash said.
"Excuse me?!" Madame Cofore said.
"I said no." Ash said. "I challenge you to a battle, winner gets to buy the microphone."
"As if I would stoop to your level." Madame Cofore scoffed.
"Doesn't matter, rule 17 of the Kanto Pokemon Trainers League, you have to accept my challenge as a fellow trainer." Ash said confidently.
"I thought rule 17 was you can't ride a bike indoors." Cassie said to herself.
"Even so, we can't, there's no room for battles on this train." Madame Cofore said.
"There's an empty train car, three cars back, it's not regulation, but it'll work." Ash said.
"And if I refuse?" Madame Cofore said.
"It's considered forfeit, and how would that look?" Ash said confidently.
"Very well, let's get this over with." Madame Cofore said.
At the empty train car
"Alright Jigglypuff, you've got this!" Ash said with confidence.
"Wigglytuff, teach them some manners." Madame Cofore said.
"Jigglypuff use Pound!"
"Wigglytuff use Defense Curl!"
Wigglytuff rolled into a ball as Jigglypuff's hand bounced off the evolved Pokemon's body.
"Jigglypuff use Pound again!"
"Wigglytuff use Counter!"
Jigglypuff slapped Wigglytuff only to be launched backwards from the opposing slap.
"Jigglypuff use Pound!"
"Wigglytuff use Body Slam!"
Jigglypuff launched at Wigglytuff only to be bounced back in defeat.
"Now that we're through, I believe you have a microphone to pay for." Madame Cofore said.
"Didn't you hear what I said?" Ash asked. "Winner buys the microphone, enjoy."
"Ash, what about Jigglypuff, she wanted that one." Cassie remarked.
"I know, but I need to remember something, especially when it comes to Jigglypuff, we're a team." Ash said.
Back at the shop
"Alright guys, we're working together on this one, let's pick it out for Jigglypuff." Ash said to Pikachu, Gloom, Ponyta, and Dratini.
After a bit of searching the five came to an agreement on a simple microphone that looked a lot like Jigglypuff's old one.
Back in Ash's cabin
"Hey Jigglypuff, we got you something for doing great in your battle today." Ash said opening the door.
"She's still sleeping." Cassie whispered, standing up.
"Then I'll just leave it here." Ash said, resting the new microphone by Jigglypuff. The pink Pokémon instantly cuddling it still sound asleep.
"Get some rest Jigglypuff, you've earned it." Ash said with a smile.