Having collected all eight badges, Ash and his group finally set foot on the long-awaited road back to Pallet Town. Sunlight spilled across the winding path, and Pikachu lay lazily across Ash's shoulder, letting out an occasional, satisfied "Pika."
Misty and Brock were also enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. They chatted and laughed as they walked, discussing the upcoming Indigo League.
"We can finally go home and get some proper rest!" Misty stretched her arms wide. "Speaking of which, Ash, your mom is going to be so proud when she finds out you've collected all eight badges."
Ash nodded with a smile, but his gaze was suddenly drawn to a figure on a wide, open stretch of grassland in the distance.
It was a Mr. Mime, acting in a comical fashion as it "painted" the air, as if creating an invisible masterpiece. It leaped and spun, surrounding itself with Barriers to form a maze, clearly having the time of its life.
"It's a wild Mr. Mime!" Misty cried out in surprise.
Memories of his past life flashed through Ash's mind instantly. This was the very same Mr. Mime that would eventually become a member of his householdmischievous yet kind-hearted, always using its Psychic Powers to add a bit of fun to daily life.
He smiled slightly and reached for the Poké Ball at his waist, preparing to catch this future partner.
However, just as he was about to throw the Poké Ball, a young woman with blue hair, dressed in a flashy performance costume and looking quite distressed, came running over, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.
"Please, wait!" The woman panted as she blocked Ash's path. "I'm the ringmaster of the Pokémon Circus, and this Mr. Mime is very important to us!"
The Troupe Leader wiped her sweat and began to explain her dilemma.
As it turned out, her circus already had a Mr. Mime who used to be their star performer, specializing in high-difficulty acts using its Barriers. But recently, it had made a mistake during a major show, and since then, it had been completely demoralized. It spent all day hiding in a corner, refusing to even attempt the simplest tricks.
"We've tried everything, but it just won't cheer up," the ringmaster sighed, her eyes filled with worry. "I heard there was a wild Mr. Mime nearby, and I wanted to ask it to come and encourage ours. Maybe the company of its own kind will help it bounce back."
Listening to her story, Ash couldn't help but recall the original series where he was forced to dress up as a Mr. Mime. The memory of wearing that ridiculous costume and awkwardly mimicking a Mr. Mime on stage, only to be mistaken for a "special guest" by the audience, made him shudder. He had no intention of reliving that dark history.
If he was going to perform, he had to make it look real!
"Ma'am," Ash said after a moment of thought, "I might have a way to help your Mr. Mime recover without needing to capture this wild one."
The Troupe Leader, Misty, and Brock all looked at him with confused expressions.
Ash didn't offer any further explanation. He simply closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began to concentrate his Aura Power.
A pale blue energy began to flow slowly around his body, resembling a soft, translucent veil. Gradually, his physical form began to change. His limbs grew slender, and his silhouette blurred until, finally, he had perfectly transformed into the shape of a Mr. Mime!
"This... this is..." The ringmaster was so shocked she was speechless, while Misty and Brock stared with their eyes wide open.
When the time for the show arrived, Ash's "transformed" Mr. Mime stepped onto the stage.
Ash, in the guise of a Mr. Mime, began an absolutely brilliant performance. First, he recreated the circus's classic balancing act, using invisible Barriers to prop up several colorful balls,
making them rotate and leap through the air as if guided by invisible hands. Next, he performed a "sky walk," stepping and rolling across transparent walls as if strolling through the clouds, every step as light as a feather.
The most stunning part was when Ash used his Aura Power to draw magnificent patterns of light and shadow in the air. Under his control, the originally invisible walls became visible works of art.
Multi-colored light flowed through the air, shifting into a fluttering Butterfree one moment and a stampeding herd of Tauros the next. Finally, it turned into a rainbow bridge that spanned the sky, making the entire grassland look like a dreamscape.
It had to be said that the performance was truly spectacular.
The wild Mr. Mime watched with rapt attention, dancing with excitement. It couldn't resist running to Ash's side to mimic his movements. The two of themif you could call them thatgrew more synchronized by the second,
putting on a breathtaking dual performance. The transparent walls became leaping platforms, rotating stages, and even a miniature amusement park in their hands.
The audience didn't find it strange at all, assuming it was a new segment added by the circus. The applause grew louder and louder, with cheers coming in waves.
At that moment, the circus's original Mr. Mime was also drawn out by the commotion, peeking its head out from the backstage area. At first, it was hesitant, but infected by the passion radiating from Ash and the wild Mr. Mime, it slowly joined the show.
The collaboration of the three "Mr. Mimes" pushed the atmosphere to a crescendo. They used Barriers to build a castle, drew shining stars in the sky, and finally even simulated a small fireworks show, bringing every spectator to their feet in thunderous applause.
Everyone agreed that this show was worth far more than the price of the ticket!
After the performance ended, the fire of fighting spirit was reignited in the circus Mr. Mime's eyes. It proactively jumped in front of the Troupe Leader, bowed in apology, and gestured that it wanted to return to the stage.
The ringmaster was moved to tears. She gripped Ash's hand tightly.
"Thank you so much! My Mr. Mime is finally back! You didn't just save its career; you saved its heart!"
Ash canceled his transformation and reverted to his original form, wiping the sweat from his brow. Although the Aura transformation had consumed quite a bit of physical strength, seeing the Mr. Mime smile again made him feel it was all worth it. At that moment, the wild Mr. Mime walked up to Ash, gesturing happily that it wanted to follow him.
Ash smiled and took out a Poké Ball. "Welcome to the family!"
Mr. Mime proactively tapped the Poké Ball and was successfully captured.
[Ding! Host has captured Mr. Mime. Reward: 200 World Origin Points.]
[Current World Origin Points: 24,700.]
That night, the circus Troupe Leader sought Ash out privately to express her deep gratitude... (Those who know, know!)
After returning to Pallet Town, Ash left Mr. Mime at home.
Delia was a bit surprised at first, but she was quickly won over by the mischievous and adorable Pokémon. Mr. Mime didn't just help with the choresusing Telekinesis to wipe the windows and Barriers to block splattering oil while cookingit also used its abilities to perform all sorts of fun tricks that made Delia laugh out loud.
It even learned to use invisible walls to protect the vegetable garden from wild Pokémon. The neighbors in Pallet Town soon began to say that Ash's house had gained an "all-around nanny."
In the next chapter, Ash will check in at Professor Oak's Laboratory before heading into the Mewtwo Strikes Back arc. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to share them!
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