Ash and Brock find themselves in another forest, closer to Goldenrod than they were when they fought Miki and her Skarmory. Cyndaquil's sudden burst of power at the end of the battle was still fresh on Ash's mind. Cyndaquil has not been able to recreate it since, not surprising since even Cyndaquil wasn't sure what she had done.
The two stop when Brock points out a birdhouse up in a tree. It wasn't small yet not a large birdhouse. The two were wondering what Pokemon could live in it when a Noctowl flew towards it. Excited Ash took out a Pokeball to catch it, but it flew away when a branch scared it away. Another Noctowl came next, smaller than the one before but a different colour.
"Why is this one a different colour?" Ash asked Brock, who shrugged.
The branch from before approached it with some berries on it. The Noctowl kicks it away, hits the tree and causes the man holding the branch to fall off and hang from the branch he'd been sitting on. The Noctowl walked over to him, pecked his fingers and forced him to fall.
Ash and Brock rush to the man to help him up.
"Thank you," the man says, getting to his feet with the duo's help before glaring at the Noctowl on the tree. "I want that Noctowl, but it keeps outsmarting me! It's smaller and cleverer than the rest, making it a rarer find than a normal shiny."
"Shiny?" Ash asked.
"Yes. Shinies are a different colouration from what is usual for any species of Pokemon. Nothing else is different about these Pokemon, just that they are a different colour."
Ash nods before staring at the Noctowl preening itself.
"I'm going to catch it" Ash declares, much to the man's displeasure. Ash sends out his Crobat and Noctowl gets into a battle formation. Noctowl rushed in for Tackle but Crobat dodged using Detect, firing a Confuse ray to confuse the Pokemon. Noctowls thrashes, hitting itself against anything close to it before being shot out of the sky by a Wing Attack from Crobat. Ash throws a Pokeball, successfully capturing the Noctowl.
Ash celebrates his catch, the Pokeball being sent to Professor Oak, while the man from before sits dejected.
Ash and Brock decide to take a break at a nearby lake and relax with their Pokemon out, only for them to be attacked by Ursaring. Neither of the duo backs away from the fight, sending their Pokemon to battle the rampaging Ursaring. Brock defeats it with his Steelix, before throwing the heavy ball he received from Kurt and capturing the Pokemon.
But Brock has no time to celebrate as more Ursaring appear. The duo call back their Pokemon and rush out of the forest and out of the forest. They finally make it out of the forest and both read a sign that warns of rampaging Ursaring and their mating season.
Brock stares at the heavy ball in disgust.
The duo pass through two more towns before finally arriving in Goldenrod City, one a town of Psychic-type trainers and another a town where a recent Team Rocket plot to steal Pokemon had been foiled. A redhead boy had been the one to foil it, and Ash deduced it was the same boy who stole Totodile. They had missed the trainer once more, much to Ash's disappointment.
The moment the duo step into Goldenrod City, the egg Brock had been taking care of begins to glow. The egg slowly changed shape until it was a small Pokemon that rested in Brock's arms. Brock raised the Pokemon to his eye level and the Pokemon opened its eyes, squealing in delight.
"Togepi, the Spike Ball Pokemon. As its energy, Togepi uses the positive emotions of compassion and pleasure exuded by people and Pokémon. This Pokémon stores up feelings of happiness inside its shell, then shares them with others."
"Aren't you a ball of sunshine" Brock cooed, the baby Pokemon squealing again.
"We should go and contact Professor Elm," Ash said and Brock nodded.
The duo heads to the Pokemon Center and dials Professor Elm. The Professor was hunched over some notes, the Johto starters running wild behind him.
"Professor your Pokemon are going to get stolen again!" Ash snapped and the man jumped. He looked back and quickly called the three Pokemon back.
"Sorry about that, I just received some intriguing papers and–" the Professor stops, "is that?"
"The egg hatched" Brock smiled, holding Togepi up for the Professor.
Professor Elm's eyes widened with excitement and happiness, looking like giant discs sparkling in the sun.
"Brock, I know I asked you to hold on to the egg until it hatched, but research shows that a newly hatched Pokemon needs a good parental figure, much like any baby. Would you mind holding onto it a little more and helping with my research?"
"I would be honoured" Brock smiled and the Professor grinned.
The Professor and Brock spoke about Togepi a bit more, wanting to learn how the egg had been before hatching, what it did during hatching and how it has been since hatching. The call was cut short when Nurse Joy shouted from Professor Elm's end.
Brock was about to say something to Togepi when there was a squeal and a girl with Pink hair rushed forward.
"That is the cutest Pokemon I have ever seen!" the girl cooed. "Is it okay if I hold it?"
Brock consented and the girl swooped Togepi up in her arms and kissed it on the head. Togepi began to fuss so she quickly handed it back.
"Aren't you a cutie" the girl smiled. "I'm Whitney by the way, the Goldenrod City Gym Leader. I specialize in normal types."
Ash stared at her in shock.
"Whitney! I challenge you to a battle!"
Whitney stared at the boy before giggling.
"Come over to my Gym and we'll have our battle now" the girl smiles.
The Goldenrod Gym was a plain place, with a plain battlefield inside. There were a few trainers that Ash had seen training on his way in before finding Whitney waiting for him. Ash had asked for Whitey to go ahead and just tell him the location. The boy wanted to swap his Pokemon around for the battle.
"We will have a three-on-three battle!" Whitney declared. "No switching allowed, last Pokemon standing wins!"
Whitney sent out her first Pokemon, a monkey with a long tail.
"Aipom, the Long Tail Pokemon. Aipom's tail ends in a hand-like appendage that can be cleverly manipulated. However, because the Pokémon uses its tail so much, its real hands have become rather clumsy."
Ash sent out his Primeape. This Gym battle was either ending with a sweep or he'd have to rely on the other two Pokemon he'd chosen.
Whitney called for Swift and Aipom shot glowing stars at Primeape. Ash told Primeape to charge forward, using Karate Chop to beat the stars back. Primepae was a Pokemon that preferred to use brute strength, and Ash was going to take full advantage of it.
Primeape rushed forward, slamming his fists against the stars to break them up before lacking out at Aipom. Aipom grabbed a fist with its tail and jumped over Primeape. Whitney called for Swift again and Primeape beat it away the same way. Aipom grabbed his fist again, but this time Primeape grabbed Aipom's tail, yanked it close and hit it with a Mega Punch and quickly followed it up with a Karate Chop.
Whitney called Aipom back in shock, before shaking out of it and sending out her next Pokemon.
"Furret, the Long Body Pokemon, the evolved form of Sentret. Furret has a very slim build. When under attack, it can slickly squirm through narrow spaces and get away. In spite of its short limbs, this Pokémon is very nimble and fleet."
Whitney called for Quick Attack and Ash called for Mega Punch. Furret got in close before slithering around to hit Primeape from behind. Every attempt Primeape made to hit the Pokemon, Furret would slither around and hit with either Quick Attack or Headbutt. Having enough of it, Ash commanded an Earthquake. The move shattered the ground and forced Furret off balance. Primeape quickly followed with a Cross Chop knocking the Furret it.
Whitney swallowed, breathing deeply a few times before calling out her final Pokemon.
"Miltank, the Milk Cow Pokemon. Miltank gives over five gallons of milk on a daily basis. Its sweet milk is enjoyed by children and grown-ups alike. People who can't drink milk turn it into yoghurt and eat it instead."
A little confused as to how strong a Miltank could be (the Pokedex providing no hints to it) Ash called for Primeape to use Mega Punch. Whitney called for a Rollout. The two Pokemon met and were equally matched. Both Pokemon jumped back before charging again with the same moves. This time Miltank overpowers Primeape, sending him flying back before trapping him as Miltank continuously attacks with Rollout, each one stronger than the one before.
The move was like Fury Cutter, Ash realized, the longer it's used the stronger it gets. Ash called for a full-power Earthquake and Primeape thrashed the field they battled on. The cracks from before were enough for Furret but Miltank was easily rolling through them. This time, the cracks were larger, and pieces of the field rose higher. Miltank's rolling form swayed from the effect of the Earthquake, bounced from how often it was hitting the cracks before being thrust to the skies because of a particularly large piece of the broken field. Miltank went up, before falling freely, its form still rolling. Primeape jumped, a Cross Chop prepared for strike. The two moves collided and both Pokemon were shot in opposite directions. Primeape slammed into the ground hard and Miltank hit the spotlight overhead before falling, pieces of glass falling with it.
Both Pokemon were knocked out from the clash.
Whitney's eyes stared in disbelief as she fell to her knees. Ash called his Primeape back, complimenting it for a battle well fought. Ash turned to thank Whitney for the battle and ask for the badge, only for him to see her wailing.
"Give it a moment. She cries like that whenever she loses" one of the Gym Trainers informed Ash with a sigh.
"How often does she lose?" Ash asked.
The girl sighed louder.