Having received Entei's confirmation, Molly beamed with joy. "I might still be small, but once I grow up, I can do it!"
As she spoke, she snuggled gently against Delia's side, seemingly drifting into a sweet dream.
Entei also seemed to sense something. He stood up and stepped forward, his body sinking into the floor as if into water, heading toward Ash at the base of the tower.
"Papa, this is my first Pokémon battle!" A phantom double of Molly suddenly appeared on Entei's back.
Feeling her mix of excitement and nervousness, Entei comforted her, "Molly, as long as you believe it, you can definitely do it!"
Sure enough, the phantom image of young Molly suddenly began to change. In an instant, she grew up, becoming a beautiful teenager of fifteen or sixteen. She was tall and stunningly radiant, with a silver cape fluttering behind her in the wind.
A sharp, confident light gleamed in her clear eyes. "I can do it!"
As an illusion manifested from crystals, Entei could travel through them freely, but it was far more difficult for Ash to break through.
Although Ash had arrived riding Charizard, Greenfield Tower had only one entrance: the base. Attempting a forced entry from the top was impossible, as that was where the Unown were gathered!
Because of Molly's will, Ash encountered no resistance as he entered.
Ring, ring, ring!
His communicator chirped. "Ash, are you alright?"
"Don't worry, Misty, I'm fine!" Ash replied. "Pika!" Pikachu echoed.
"Ash, it's John. Have you seen any Unown?" The voice of John, Professor Spencer's assistant, came through the device.
"Not yet. They should be at the top of the tower!" Ash looked upward. His goal this time wasn't just to save Delia and Molly!
"Ash, do you know something about this?" Hearing Ash's tone, Professor Oak guessed that Ash had some understanding of the Unown.
"A little, but not everything!"
"Ash, according to Spencer's research files, the Unown seem to have the ability to detect the consciousness of other creatures. They sense human hearts and then manifest those feelings into concrete shapes!" Professor Oak explained.
"That makes sense," Ash whispered. "The Unown must have sensed what was in Molly's heart, which is why this Greenfield Tower appeared."
"These crystals are like an empty, cold heart. My mom must have felt that too, which is why she wanted to stay and take care of Molly!"
Professor Oak fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Ash, you must rescue your mother!"
"Of course!" Ash smiled confidently.
After hanging up, his expression turned serious as he stepped into a meadow filled with the scent of flowers and the singing of birds. A gentle breeze blew past, feeling incredibly comfortable.
Entei, carrying the grown-up version of Molly, appeared before him.
"You're a Pokémon Trainer, aren't you?" Molly looked down at Ash, her eyes burning with a fighting spirit.
However, Ash just laughed. "When you used to follow me around asking for candy, you called me 'Big Brother Ash.' Now that you've grown up, you don't recognize me?"
Entei leaped forward, and Molly flipped through the air, landing gracefully on the ground.
"Big Brother Ash, it's been a long time!" Molly greeted him like an old friend reunited.
"I became a Pokémon Trainer and set off on a journey!" Ash began to talk about his experiences the very future that the young Molly had always longed for.
"These are my partners, Pikachu and Charizard! Besides them, I've caught many others and made a lot of good friends!"
"I'm sorry, Molly. I was traveling and only arrived here yesterday."
Perhaps this was the price of growing up. Since Ash had set off on his journey, he naturally couldn't have known about the tragedy at Molly's home.
Molly shook her head. "Now my papa and mama have both come back!"
"Big Brother Ash, let's battle!"
"Of course, I'll see it through to the end!"
A standard battle field suddenly manifested on the grass. Entei lay down calmly behind Molly, watching over the match.
Ash gripped a Poké Ball, taking the first move. "I choose you, Bayleef!"
Facing a Grass-type Pokémon, Molly smiled confidently. A crystal Poké Ball appeared out of thin air in her hand, and she threw it.
"I'm counting on you, Vulpix, go!"
The phantom Vulpix had a very sharp gaze, but Molly was still a little girl at heart. Even though she could create things from nothing, she had only summoned an unevolved form. It was quite adorable.
As a Fire-type, Vulpix had a direct advantage over the Grass-type Bayleef. Ash couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed for his predecessor; when the original Ash had started his journey with Pikachu, he didn't even know the type advantage chart. He once tried to challenge a Pidgeotto with a Caterpie just because he was fired up.
Even if Molly had transformed herself into a teenager, she couldn't have gained Pokémon knowledge out of nowhere. Clearly, she had been studying in her daily life. Having a Pokémon Professor for a father had obviously taught her a lot.
"Vulpix, use Flamethrower!"
Since Molly had created Vulpix, it could use whatever skills she commanded. It would execute her orders perfectly, and its power was certainly not to be underestimated!
"Dodge it and use Sweet Scent!"
Facing the unreasonably hot pillar of fire from Molly's Vulpix, Ash didn't panic. After Bayleef evaded the fire, the sickle-shaped leaf on its head stood upright.
A sweet aroma filled the entire battlefield. Both Vulpix and Molly seemed to become a bit dazed and lightheaded.
"Now! Use Vine Whip and follow up with Slam!"
Bayleef didn't hesitate. It extended its vines, bound Vulpix tightly, lifted it high into the air, and slammed it ruthlessly into the ground.
Vulpix was instantly heavily injured!
"It's not over! Body Slam!"
Ash seized the opportunity to strike a finishing blow. After evolving, Bayleef's weight had increased significantly, and it had learned Body Slam. It lunged at the struggling Vulpix and crushed it under its weight!
Vulpix was unable to battle.
There was no referee for the match between Ash and Molly, but the outcome was clear to both.
"Return, Bayleef!"
"Next is you, Wartortle!"
Having just recently evolved from Squirtle, Wartortle took the stage for Ash.
"A Water-type? Then I'll use this one!"
The fallen Vulpix turned into crystals and vanished. Molly produced another crystal Poké Ball. When she threw it, a cute little sheep appeared Flaaffy, the second form of the Ampharos line!
Bayleef: 202/216
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