Pokemon: A different Ash

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After about an hour, the shop was almost cleaned up, and the damage was repaired with wooden boards that Geodude helped find. Despite the shop being a bit run-down, it now looked almost new.

During the cleanup, the police arrived, but Professor Oak handled the situation, explaining everything to them and saving everyone from further trouble.

"Alright, the next step is figuring out how to improve the store's business!" Ash declared, ready to reopen the shop and help Moe pay off her debts.

"We're Trainers, so let's do it the Trainer way! Pidgeotto, Pikachu, Squirtle, you're in charge of handing out flyers."

"The stove is broken, Charmander, can you help us out with that?"

"Eevee and Axew, you're on customer attraction duty! Misty, Brock, can you guys handle being waiters?" Ash quickly assigned tasks to everyone.

"No problem!" Misty and Brock replied, bringing out their Pokémon to lend a hand. With everyone's roles set, the Pokémon immediately got to work.

"Come and help out too!" Gary called over to the six girls, who were standing nearby.

Before long, the shop became lively, with the Pokémon and Stephanie, alongside Gary, attracting a crowd. Since Ash and the others had recently defeated the mechanical Gyarados, it drew even more attention.

The once sluggish shop suddenly became the hottest spot in town, so much so that it overflowed with customers. Extra seating had to be set up outside, and it quickly became packed—just as Team Rocket had predicted.

Most of the travelers passing through weren't short on money.

With business booming, the shop's income soared. Meanwhile, Brutella's luxurious restaurant, just across the street, saw very few patrons.

People are emotional creatures, and the sight of Ash and the others helping Moe warmed many hearts. On the other hand, Brutella's underhanded tactics disgusted people, and despite her fancy restaurant, customers felt repelled.

"Darn it, you old hag!" Brutella growled, watching the bustling little shop with gritted teeth, unable to do anything about it.

Thanks to Ash's vigilance and the absence of Team Rocket's interference, the shop's business thrived throughout the day. Moe made a considerable profit, and though it wasn't until late at night that the customer flow began to slow, the shop remained busy.

Finally, there was a moment to relax. Ash sat on the beach outside the shop, looking out at the sea. Even at night, the beach remained bright, thanks to the city's resort atmosphere.

"So this is what you've been doing all this time? No wonder you're moving so slowly!" came a voice from behind. Gary walked up, holding two bottles of drinks. He sat down beside Ash and handed him one.

"No matter how slow I am, you can't possibly be moving much faster!" Ash said, taking the drink with a grin.

Gary sat silently by Ash's side, sipping his drink.

"When I travel, I come across all sorts of interesting things like this. Can you really experience that just by driving?" Ash asked after taking a sip of the drink Gary had handed him.

"I don't need to. I just need to become a top trainer as quickly as possible," Gary replied, shaking his head as if trying to clear his mind of distractions.

"Why? Is it because your grandpa is Professor Oak?"

Gary didn't respond immediately, but Ash's question clearly hit a nerve.

Being the grandson of Professor Oak, a renowned Pokémon Professor, meant that Gary was constantly under pressure to be the best. People always referred to him as "Professor Oak's grandson," and this frustrated him. Deep down, Gary didn't want to be seen only as Professor Oak's grandson—he wanted to stand out on his own.

"There's no winner tonight," Gary said, abruptly changing the subject.

"So, you're not going to answer, huh? Are you saying we should compete again?" Ash glanced at the darkened horizon. It was late at night, and although there wasn't any rule against swimming at this hour, the waves were getting rougher.

Even if Ash wanted to battle now, his mom would definitely have something to say about it if she found out. And if there was one thing Ash feared, it was his mother's scolding.

"I'm talking about a Pokémon battle. You've got six Pokémon by now, right?" Gary asked, casting a sideways glance at Ash.

"You mean an all-hands battle?" Ash replied, giving Gary a similar sideways glance.

"That's right. An all-hands battle is the ultimate test of a Trainer's true strength," Gary said, and at that moment, the two locked eyes, their competitive spirits flaring up.

"Sure. When?" Ash asked, his excitement rising.

"How about nine in the morning, the day after tomorrow? That gives us both time to prepare," Gary suggested.

"Deal!" Ash agreed, and the two clinked their drinks together in a silent agreement.

Not far off, Professor Oak had been watching the whole exchange. Hearing the conversation, he couldn't help but feel excited for the battle between the two young Trainers.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group continued to help at the shop until it finally closed. In just half a day, Moe had earned back all the money Brutella had taken from her, and even more than that! He now had enough to fund her dream of traveling around the world on a yacht. Grateful beyond words, Moe thanked Ash and his friends for their help.

They didn't make a big deal out of it, treating it as simply helping someone fulfill a lifelong dream. After bidding Moe farewell, the group left the beach and returned to the Pokémon Center. Once there, Ash filled Misty, Brock, and his mom, Delia, in on the challenge he had with Gary.

"An all-hands competition?" Brock and Misty exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah! We're set for nine o'clock in the morning the day after tomorrow," Ash said casually, though he couldn't hide his excitement.

Gary had avoided passing through Viridian Forest and Mt. Moon, choosing instead to drive around and go straight to Cerulean City, where he easily defeated the Cerulean sisters. As a result, neither Misty nor Brock had ever seen him in action, but as Professor Oak's grandson, they knew he must be strong. This made them a little concerned for Ash.

"Really? That's fantastic! Luckily, I brought a camera on this trip! I can get pictures of Pikachu and the others battling!" Delia said excitedly. To her, it didn't matter whether Ash won or lost—she believed in her son and knew he would never be defeated by setbacks.