"What is this?! How is there an invisible wall here?!"
Ash was still swaggering ahead, but after a short while, he seemed to have run into a wall.
It was impossible to see, but his hand could touch it.
"Look!!"
Brock suddenly exclaimed.
Everyone looked up.
Ye Feng also scanned the area.
They saw a Pokémon seemingly perched on this invisible wall above.
What's more, it was constantly climbing upwards.
[Mime Jr., a Barrier Pokémon. It likes to create invisible walls to block enemies.]
Ash pulled out his Pokédex.
Ye Feng looked up, he naturally recognized Mime Jr.
Mime Jr. was a dual-type Psychic and Fairy, a very powerful Pokémon nowadays. Catching one would be like getting a head start.
But Ye Feng was completely uninterested.
Although he wasn't interested, Ash was.
As soon as he pulled out a Poké Ball, he heard from behind:
"Wait, can you give me that Mime Jr.?"
The group turned and saw a young woman with blue hair wearing a specific uniform.
"Why?"
Ash asked.
"Oh, Ash, you should give it to such a cute girl!!!"
Brock quickly pulled Ash aside.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
As the girl threw her Poké Ball, Mime Jr. had already fled.
Seeing Mime Jr. escape, the woman became very dejected.
"Hello, I'm Brock, is there anything I can help you with?"
Seeing the woman's crestfallen expression, Brock immediately stepped forward to offer assistance.
Following that, the woman led Ye Feng, Ash, and the others to a location.
It was a huge tent, a circus tent.
"My name is Atsuko, I'm the leader of this Pokémon circus, but now the performance is ruined because of this Mime Jr."
At this moment.
They were all standing in front of an RV.
Through the glass, they could see another Mime Jr. inside the RV.
However, this Mime Jr. was reclining on the RV's sofa, with its arm propping up its head.
There was a pile of snacks on the table in front of it, and the Mime Jr. was munching on potato chips, looking incredibly relaxed and carefree.
"Alas, it's because Mime Jr. isn't cooperating that I wanted to catch one to motivate this one," Atsuko sighed.
Ash, Brock, and Misty looked at this Mime Jr. speechlessly.
At this moment, Ye Feng, who had been silent, suddenly said,
"I understand what you mean. You want this Mime Jr. to stop being so lazy and train properly, right?"
"Yes, exactly."
Atsuko looked at Ye Feng, developing a very good impression of him.
"This is simple, leave it to me."
After saying that, Ye Feng took his Pikachu into the RV.
"Does Ye Feng have any good ideas?"
Ash asked, confused.
Once Ye Feng got into the RV, he pulled the curtains shut.
Brock then said, "I have a good idea. Let's see how Ye Feng does. If it doesn't work, I'll step in."
Brock felt that Ye Feng would be wasting his time and he needed to think of other ways. As long as he could help Atsuko, he might be able to win her favor and take things to the next step.
However, less than five minutes passed.
Ye Feng got out of the RV.
Besides him, there was his Pikachu, and that Mime Jr.
The Mime Jr. now had a look of terror on its face, as if it had been severely stimulated.
"You'll train properly, won't you?"
Ye Feng smiled at it.
Mime Jr. quickly nodded.
Seeing this, Atsuko was so happy she couldn't speak.
She quickly grabbed Ye Feng's hand and thanked him.
She also said that they could watch the circus performance for free.
Ash and the others were very happy.
And during the circus performance that afternoon.
"Mom?!"
At the ticket booth, Ash actually saw his mother, Delia.
She was here to watch the circus performance?
As soon as Delia saw Ash, she abandoned the queue and ran towards him excitedly.
"Mom, I'm not a child anymore."
Ash had already prepared what he would say when his mother Delia hugged him.
But what confused him was that the expected hug never came. Instead, it was.
"Pika?"
Pikachu's cry made Ash turn his head.
He saw a scene that completely defied his expectations.
His mother, Delia, was holding Ye Feng tightly in her arms.
Her head was resting against Ye Feng's strong chest, her face filled with happiness.
"This?! This?!"
Seeing this, Ash was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped.
Brock and Misty were in a similar state.
Because based on their previous understanding, Ye Feng seemed to be just Ash's neighbor!
"Mom? Did you hug the wrong person?"
Ash shouted.
Delia then turned her head and looked at Ash, smiling, "Oh, Ash, you're back too."
"And you must be Brock and Misty?"
Delia ignored Ash, as if Ash was her second child. Then she looked at the other two.
"Come on, since you're all back, Auntie will make you something delicious. We're not watching this circus."
With that, Delia took Ye Feng's hand and walked towards her home in Pallet Town.
Ash was left behind in utter confusion.
Brock and Misty frowned deeply. "Ash, why did you never mention that Auntie and Ye Feng seem to be... like that?"
Ash shook his head. "I don't know, I really don't know."
He covered his head and ran back to his home.
Pallet Town.
Ash's house.
The table was filled with delicious food made by Delia.
Various fragrant dishes, sushi, pastries, and so on.
Brock and Misty ate and praised it endlessly.
Only Ash lacked an appetite.
He stared at Ye Feng and his mother sitting together so intimately.
He finally asked, "Mom, what exactly is going on?!"
Delia took a deep breath and glanced at Ye Feng, who nodded at her.
She then said, "Ash, it's just as you see. Ye Feng and I are together."
"!!!!!"
Even though Ash had already guessed it, hearing Delia's confession still struck him like lightning.
"But, but..."
"Are you even worthy of Dad doing this?"
Ash asked angrily.
"Your dad?"
As soon as Ash mentioned his father, Delia's face was filled with disdain.
"Your dad, that old scoundrel, you still have the nerve to mention him?"
"Ash, I ask you, have you seen your dad even once since you were born?"
Ash heard this and shook his head blankly.
"Then that settles it!!!"
Delia was furious.
"Your dad is a scumbag. He sweet-talked me into marrying him. Not long after we got married, he said he was going to be a Pokémon Master and left for ten years without ever coming home."
"You tell me, it's one thing not to come home, but not even a phone call, as if he's disappeared!!!"
"Did he ever think about me? Did he ever think about you?!"
Delia seemed to be pouring out all the bitterness of these years.
"I'm a woman, having to earn money and raise you. Do you think it's easy for me?"
Hearing this, Ash couldn't help but recall the time in Saffron City when he was worried about the Saffron Gym making him pay, and he felt ashamed.
Yes, his mother hadn't had it easy!!