“I can totally relate to how trash feels when it gets sucked into a vacuum cleaner right now!”
Kojiro, whose voice was tinged with electricity from being zapped by Thunderbolt, weakly complained about his current feelings.
“Shouldn’t it be a washing machine?”
Musashi, also zapped and with an electric tinge to her voice, retorted against Kojiro’s description.
Subsequently, the three of them were directly sucked into the machine and then ejected from a pipe outside the Gym.
“What an ominous feeling!”
The trio, propelled into the sky by the water pipe, let out a wail, gradually turning into a star and disappearing.
Meanwhile, Seel, who had been launched out much earlier, clapped its fins, celebrating the disappearance of these troublemakers.
Although the Team Rockets trio had been sucked away by the machine and turned into shining stars in the Gym, the machine did not stop working, and Pikachu, caught in the water, was about to face the same fate as Team Rockets.
At this moment, Shiny Kirlia, having been depressed enough, glanced at Pikachu in the water and, with vacant eyes, pulled down the machine’s control lever from a distance.
The machine’s operation shifted, and Pikachu was projected out by the current from a distance, safely landing in Sakura’s arms.
Everyone simply tidied up the messy area.
Shiny Kirlia cried bitterly, clutching her scorched badge—this was her first badge! She vowed to hit Team Rockets hard whenever she saw them again!
“Such unexpected troublemakers appeared.”
Xiao Xia stood with her hands on her hips, looking at the mess before her, feeling an indescribable pang of sadness.
“So, who won in the end?”
Ash was still concerned about who won the match, as he and Xiao Xia still had Pokémon that hadn't battled.
“Yes, well, let’s just consider your match interrupted.”
“It doesn’t count, it doesn’t count.”
“It’s a draw!”
“This means I can’t get the blue badge.”
Hearing them say that, Ash lowered his head, looking disappointed, as a draw meant he couldn't get the blue badge.
It seemed he would have to wait a few more days, as not everyone was as willing to give out badges as Brock.
“No, this one is yours.”
Sakura interrupted Ash’s disappointment, a badge appearing in her hand at some point, which she held, smiling at Ash.
“Older Sister Sakura, he didn’t even defeat me.”
Xiao Xia was very confused as to why Ash was being given a blue badge when it was a draw and she hadn't lost to him.
“The one who resolved the crisis just now was Pikachu, and if Pikachu had been sent out from the very beginning, Xiao Xia’s Pokémon would have had no chance of winning.”
Looking at her sister’s puzzled expression, Sakura didn’t find it strange; after all, if Ash had sent out Pikachu first, her sister would have been completely countered, and there was water everywhere on the field, so hiding wouldn't have helped.
“Alright, Ash, take it. Oh, and here’s yours.”
Sakura handed the blue badge to Ash, then, seeing Shiny Kirlia clutching her scorched badge, she smiled and pulled out another badge, handing it to her...
“Xiao Xia, you still need to work hard to be a Trainer, otherwise, not only do you lack our beauty, but also...”
Botan said pointedly, making Xiao Xia’s face flush with anger.
“Lao Mei, how did it go? Did you pass the Gym?”
As Xiao Xia was saying goodbye to her Older Sisters, Yu Feng appeared beside Shiny Kirlia, looking at his Lao Mei, who was still staring at the blue badge, reminiscing, and ruffled her head.
“Kirlia! (Don’t touch my head, if I don’t grow taller, you’re responsible.)”
Shiny Kirlia disdainfully slapped away Yu Feng’s mischievous hand. Didn’t he know that touching her head would stunt her growth?
She was the shortest in the family right now; what if she got even shorter if he kept touching her head?
“Alright, alright, I won’t touch you. What do you think of challenging the Gym?”
Yu Feng felt disheartened. Seriously, she wasn’t as cute as she used to be when she clung to her Older Brother, saying “Older Brother, Older Brother, I’m scared.” That little sister was gone forever.
“Kirlia. (It was just so-so!)”
Shiny Kirlia tilted her head, seemingly disdainful, though this was assuming one ignored the blue badge she held tightly in her hand.
“Denied. Your heart rate is faster, which is a sign of excitement.”
Yu Feng suddenly said to his Lao Mei in a serious tone, stating what he had observed.
A faster heart rate and increased body temperature were signs of excitement!
“Kirlia! (Are you trying to kill me?! Don’t use Psychic powers to peek at other people’s bodies!)”
Hearing her Older Brother’s words, Shiny Kirlia’s cheeks flushed, then she realized that her rotten Older Brother must have used Psychic powers to observe her. Angrily, she punched him in the stomach.
“Pfft!”
Yu Feng clutched his stomach and fell to the ground, only giving Shiny Kirlia a thumbs-up, indicating that he acknowledged her strength.
“Ah, Xiao Xia, you say your beauty can’t compare to ours, but how can you not even compare to the people you travel with?”
Seeing Yu Feng, Botan playfully teased Xiao Xia, after all, it was one thing to not compare to her Older Sisters, but not even comparing to her travel companions was truly pathetic.
“That’s not true! Yu Feng is a boy!”
After saying this, Xiao Xia covered her mouth, feeling like she had said something very wrong.
Sure enough, hearing that Yu Feng was a boy, the Older Sisters laughed even harder, all teasing Xiao Xia: “You can’t even compare to a boy, you should just focus on being a Pokémon Trainer.”
“By the way, does Yu Feng have a girlfriend?”
Ayame poked Xiao Xia’s waist, quietly asking if Yu Feng had ever had a girlfriend.
“Why are you suddenly asking about this?”
Xiao Xia suddenly became a little wary. Why was her Older Sister suddenly asking about this? What did Yu Feng having a girlfriend have to do with her?
“Never mind that, just tell me if he does or not.”
Sakura also interjected from the side. Yu Feng really did look more and more handsome the more she looked at him. Indeed, there was a saying that was true: if a Pokémon is good-looking, its Trainer must also be good-looking (self-proclaimed).
“No, Yu Feng was raised by Pokémon, and now he’s traveling to find his family.”
After Xiao Xia said this, the three Older Sisters’ eyes suddenly glowed green.
“Xiao Xia, you wouldn’t mind having another brother-in-law, would you?”
Sakura rubbed her hands, asking for Xiao Xia’s opinion. As for Yu Feng’s opinion? It didn’t matter, she would pursue him anyway. Pretty people always get preferential treatment.
“What are you trying to do? I’m warning you, Yu Feng is only ten years old. Jenny will arrest you.”
Xiao Xia looked at her Older Sisters with wary eyes. Yu Feng was only ten years old, she couldn’t let her Older Sisters ruin him!
Just then, Brock also rejoined the group. After Ash showed off his blue badge to him, Brock suggested they continue their journey.
All the necessary purchases were done; next, they would head to the next Gym to earn another badge.
Yu Feng also quickly got up and pulled his Lao Mei along to catch up with Ash and Brock, who were gradually walking away.
Xiao Xia also hastily said goodbye to her Older Sisters, quickly caught up, and began bickering with Ash.