Ash's face was beaming with joy, his trusty Pikachu perched contentedly on his shoulder. His entire demeanor radiated enthusiasm and energy.
Eddie couldn't help but sigh—most protagonists in these types of stories seemed to share this irrepressibly cheerful personality.
"I can't believe I ran into you here in Vermilion City, Morning Sun! I thought you'd already left."
Ash eagerly pulled Eddie toward the seating area of the Pokémon Center, his expression indicating he was bursting to share his recent adventures.
"After our battle, I went to Mt. Moon to train, and reached Cerulean City the next day. The Gym Leader Misty wasn't there at first, but fortunately, she returned after I waited a day, and I earned the Cascade Badge!"
"Then I traveled overnight to reach Vermilion City yesterday. Oh, and my Bulbasaur evolved into Ivysaur, and Pikachu has become my trusted partner!"
Eddie observed Pikachu's docile behavior and could tell it had completely accepted Ash as its trainer. He reached out to pat Pikachu's head, earning a cheerful "Pika Pika" in response.
Anyone who had seen the Pokémon series probably dreamed of petting a real Pikachu.
Eddie was surprised that Ash had actually reached Cerulean City a day before him. Then again, Misty had been fighting alongside Eddie at Mt. Moon that day and hadn't returned to Cerulean City until that evening.
What was even more unexpected was how closely Ash's journey mirrored his own.
"What did you mean when you said you thought I'd left?" Eddie asked.
"I saw Gary this morning. He left immediately after learning the Vermilion City Gym Leader wasn't here. He said he was heading to the next city. I assumed you'd done the same thing after discovering Lt. Surge was away."
Ash explained this to Eddie, remarking on how all three of them seemed to be following an almost identical route.
"So Gary's on the same path too. You guys are moving quickly."
"I just arrived last night, but I was indeed preparing to leave just now. After all, who knows when Lt. Surge will return?"
Ash was the type of person who became instantly familiar with others. Once he considered someone a friend, he communicated with enthusiastic openness that never made others feel uncomfortable or awkward.
Since running into Ash, Eddie decided to temporarily delay his departure and engage in conversation. This wasn't because of some "protagonist encounter, mandatory event" scenario—he genuinely viewed Ash as both a good friend and a worthy rival.
"If the Vermilion City Gym Leader isn't here, aren't you planning to leave too, Ash?"
"I just learned about this myself and was initially going to depart right away, but then I met the 'President of the Pokémon Fan Club.' He told me that many Pokémon have been stolen recently throughout Vermilion City, including several belonging to club members. He asked for my help investigating..."
Ash looked slightly embarrassed, as if thinking that he'd been somewhat manipulated by the Pokémon Fan Club into becoming an unofficial member. He seemed hesitant to share the full extent of that awkward interaction.
Though naturally helpful and passionate, he clearly felt like he might have been taken advantage of.
"So you agreed? That's not exactly a simple task. You're not a detective, and this isn't something you can solve quickly. If you're stuck here because of this promise, you'll regret it."
Eddie spoke casually, knowing how easily young people could get caught up in their enthusiasm.
However, this situation seemed strangely familiar. Could this be another plot event from his memories?
Despite keeping his youthful appearance after being reborn in this world, Eddie's true age was considerably older. Because of this, he had forgotten many specific plot details from before his transmigration, though he often experienced flashes of recognition when encountering key events.
While Eddie was trying to recall this particular scenario, Ash sighed.
"I know it won't be easy, but seeing them plead for help, I couldn't refuse. Fortunately, they've already conducted some preliminary investigation. It seems these Pokémon thefts are somehow connected to the S.S. Anne."
"They even gave me an S.S. Ticket, hoping I'd check it out... Think about it—this is the legendary luxury cruise ship S.S. Anne! If someone gives you a ticket and you don't use it, you'd be missing out on an incredible opportunity!"
By the end, Ash's tone had shifted to excitement as he proudly displayed his ticket to Eddie.
Though it was only a second-class ticket, its value was still considerable. As a luxury cruise prepared for the wealthy, even the S.S. Anne's second-class accommodations offered extravagant services and amenities.
"By the way, Morning Sun, would you like to come with me to investigate? If these Pokémon disappearances involve some criminal organization, having your help would be reassuring!"
"If we join forces, no one short of a Gym Leader's strength could stand against us. And I doubt the culprit has Gym Leader-level power."
"After all, someone with a Gym Leader's strength wouldn't bother with petty crimes like stealing Pokémon."
Ash seemed thrilled at finding a potential ally. He grabbed Eddie's hand, his eyes wide with hopeful anticipation.
"Darn it, Ash, you just had to jinx us with that statement," Eddie thought to himself.
Ash, S.S. Anne, Pokémon theft case, Gym Leader.
Hearing these keywords, especially "S.S. Anne," Eddie finally recalled the specific events from the original plot.
Then came Ash's declaration—practically a narrative flag—insisting that their enemy couldn't possibly possess Gym Leader-level strength.
For crying out loud, the enemy they would face was literally a Gym Leader!
Eddie mentally groaned about Ash's uncanny ability to invoke narrative irony. The universe seemed determined to prove him wrong.
Though Ash's circumstances differed slightly from the original storyline—he already had a legitimate ticket rather than needing to sneak aboard—the powerful adversary they would encounter remained the same. Could they truly defeat such an opponent with their current capabilities?
"Ding! You have received an invitation from Ash and unlocked a hidden mission: The Pokémon Theft Incident on the S.S. Anne."
"Mission objective: Work with Ash to identify the culprit and resolve the situation."
"Warning! This mission has a high difficulty rating. Probability of player defeat: 5.4. Please consider carefully before accepting."
Eddie drew a sharp breath upon hearing the system notification.
This was the first time he'd received such an explicit warning. If the system calculated such a high risk factor despite their combined strength, the enemy must be formidable.
This confirmed his suspicions about their opponent's power level, and suggested the enemy might use their full capabilities.
In the original story, the antagonist definitely hadn't brought their main Pokémon team—otherwise, Ash, who wasn't particularly strong at that point in the canon, wouldn't have been able to defeat them single-handedly.
But now, with Eddie's presence as an unexpected variable, plus the fact that this "Pokémon Generations" world didn't precisely match the anime's events...
Eddie couldn't be certain whether their opponent would bring their primary team or merely a few Pokémon.
Given these circumstances, even with their combined strength as advanced trainers, could he and Ash actually emerge victorious?