Chapter 111: The Love of Pokémon

After hanging up the phone, Hu Yang felt a strange sense of numbness wash over him.

So, the special ability he had appraised, "High Intelligence," was truly describing a reality, wasn't it? He had already anticipated it in his heart, but he hadn't expected it to be so exaggerated.

After leaving the Pokémon Center, Hu Yang went to the Vermilion City train station and purchased a ticket to Hollywood. Hollywood was a location that only appeared in the animated series. Situated to the west of Pallet Town, it had once been prosperous, but due to an economic downturn, it had fallen into a state of severe stagnation.

The owner of Madonna, the Meowth that the Team Rocket Meowth had once been infatuated with, had gone bankrupt for this very reason, leading him to abandon her. From a pampered pet, Madonna had been reduced to the very thing she once despised most: a stray Meowth. She was then forced into a local Meowth gang, becoming the partner of the gang leader, Persian.

In the anime, there was an episode where Meowth, in an attempt to save his former love interest, Madonna, engaged in a duel with his ex-leader, Persian. Meowth won, but Madonna still chose Persian. She had spent too much time living with him, and she still found a Meowth who could speak human language repulsive. Meowth’s heart was broken once again.

The reason Hu Yang chose to come to Hollywood as his first stop was that he did not know the exact whereabouts of Jessie and James. Compared to them, finding Meowth was much easier. If he could find the Meowth gang, he could find Meowth. However, Hu Yang could not guarantee he would successfully locate him. At this point in time, it was highly likely that Meowth had already left Hollywood and joined Team Rocket, serving as an errand boy for Giovanni.

The train ride from Vermilion City to Hollywood took eight hours. The train cars in this world had a nostalgic, old-fashioned aesthetic, and as it traveled, one could hear the rhythmic clacking of the wheels against the tracks. To Hu Yang, it was a rather novel experience.

Outside the window, hills and dense forests flashed by. From the rising sun of the early morning to the golden glow of the dusk, he could vaguely see the silhouettes of small towns and cities in the distance. It gave him the illusion that he wasn't hunting for Team Rocket, but rather traveling across the world by train with his Pokémon, witnessing the cycle of day and night, the changing of the seasons. Perhaps, this was the true charm of traveling.

Eight hours passed in the blink of an eye. The train stopped at the Hollywood station, and after a brief pause, it departed once more, heading toward the next city.

Standing on the street, Hu Yang surveyed the unfamiliar city. It was not as prosperous as he had imagined; few residents were walking about. A building labeled "Pokémon Theater" stood not far away. The poster at the entrance featured a promotional photo of a Psyduck embracing a Wigglytuff. The sign below read, "The blockbuster film 'Pokémon Love' is now showing!"

Yet, of the people passing by, not one went in to watch the movie; most just hurried past. It seemed the local economy had already entered a period of depression.

Just then, a Meowth cautiously weaved through the crowd and arrived in front of a shop selling ice cream and fried chicken next to the theater. Taking advantage of the owner's distraction, it leaped up, snatched a piece of fried chicken, and darted madly into a narrow alleyway.

Seeing this, Hu Yang felt a spark of inspiration. He immediately brought out Gengar’s Poké Ball and said, "Gengar, go catch it!"

Gengar didn't ask why. It turned invisible and charged after the Meowth. The shopkeeper, noticing a piece of chicken missing and seeing the figure darting into the alley, stomped his feet in anger, shouting, "Damn it! You little thief!"

Hu Yang followed as well. By the time he caught up, the Meowth had been cornered against a wall. Sensing the terrifying aura emanating from the Pokémon before it, the Meowth’s fur stood on end in terror, and it let out a sharp, panicked cry: "Meow!"

Gengar, intentionally trying to frighten it, pulled a grotesque face. "Gengar! Gengar-heh-heh!"

The Meowth rolled its eyes back and fainted from sheer fright.

Hu Yang: "..."

Gengar looked on with disdain. "What a useless Meowth."

"Stop fooling around, wake it up," Hu Yang said.

Gengar let out an "Ooh" and obediently used a touch of its curse ability to trap the Meowth in a terrifying nightmare. Soon, it woke up, staring in panic at the human and the Gengar before it.

"Don't be afraid. We aren't here to capture you; there's just something I want to ask," Hu Yang paused, then continued, "If you're willing to answer, I'll treat you to a free feast of fried chicken and ice cream."

Seeming to realize that the two before it had no ill intent, the Meowth's fear subsided slightly.

"Meow-ooh?"

Hu Yang asked, "Have you ever seen a Meowth that can speak human language and walk on its hind legs?"

Hearing this, the Meowth was stunned for a moment before replying, "Meow... meow-ooh..."

Gengar translated, "It says that the Meowth left this place a few months ago. It seems it went to join something called 'Rocket'."

Rocket... Team Rocket.

Was he a step too late? Hu Yang wasn't entirely surprised by this outcome, as he had already had a premonition of it on his way here. He had originally hoped to snatch them up before Jessie, James, and Meowth joined Team Rocket. But now, it seemed that wouldn't be possible. Once they joined Team Rocket, the probability of successfully recruiting them would become even more difficult than capturing a Rayquaza.

But then, why would Slowking say that the trio would provide him with great help in the future?

After a moment of silent contemplation, Hu Yang said to the Meowth, "Wait here for me."

He turned and walked toward the fried chicken shop. Since Meowth had already joined Team Rocket, he had no choice but to give up. Hu Yang felt a tinge of regret, but his mood quickly returned to normal. He bought five portions of fried chicken and ice cream from the shop, placed them before the Meowth, and turned to leave with Gengar.

"Are we not looking for them anymore?" Gengar asked, looking confused.

"No, perhaps this is their fate," Hu Yang sighed, his gaze lingering on the movie theater.

"Then what are we doing next?" Gengar asked.

"I'm taking you all to see a movie," Hu Yang said with a smile.

He had filmed movies in the game, but since arriving in this world, he hadn't watched a single one. Hollywood would be out of business before long; since he was already here, he certainly wouldn't miss the city's signature attraction.

If he couldn't find the trio, he would have to set his sights on the Zapdos at the Power Plant.

Hmm. Perhaps after the movie, he could head to Pallet Town; it was quite close, after all. If he remembered correctly, Ash's mother ran an inn called "Pallet Town Hanako's Diner."