P.S. This explains why, in the previous chapter, Hypno was instantly KO'd by Hisuian Zoroark's Shadow Sneak.
In the Pokémon animated series (EP022, Abra and the Psychic Showdown), it is stated that Ghost types are strong against Psychic types. However, in Generation I, Psychic types were only weak to Bug-type moves. Psychic types were actually immune to Ghost-type moves!
There is some inconsistency here regarding whether Psychic types were truly immune to Ghost-type moves or not between the anime series and movies.
However, it was later found that the official Nintendo strategy guide states that Psychic-type Pokémon take extra damage from Ghost-type moves. This suggests that the immunity in Generation I was actually a programming error in the game.
The result?
In Generation I, Ghost-type moves had no effect on Psychic Pokémon.
Gen II and beyond: Ghost-type moves became super effective against Psychic-type Pokémon, further expanding their weaknesses to include Dark-type attacks as well.
---
The response to the situation turned out to be far bigger than Allen had anticipated—a couple of police officers, and even one of those armored vans showed up to haul Hypno away.
"Of all the calls I thought I'd get today…" said a tall woman with dark green hair, striding toward him in a sharp blue pantsuit. "Didn't expect a kid to manage to chase off Team Aqua..."
"Haha, another rising talent, huh?" Professor Birch added with a smirk. But then his expression darkened, his tone shifting. "Looks like I really need to tighten security around the lab. Thankfully, that kid was there... otherwise..."
He shook his head and muttered, "It doesn't bear thinking about…"
Meanwhile, Allen, kneeling by the riverbank, carefully scooped up his batch of baby Mudkips in his hands. The tiny Pokémon wiggled in delight, its little fins splashing water everywhere.
"Mud~Mud~!"
"Haha, it seems like that traumatic incident didn't traumatize you at all, huh?" Allen chuckled, brushing a bit of mud off his clothes.
He turned to the littlest Mudkip—the one that had nearly drowned earlier—still grateful for the quick thinking of his Marshtomp.
"Thank goodness for Muddy," Allen sighed.
Since then, he hadn't dared let the youngest swim in the river like its older siblings. Instead, he set up a small kiddie pool just for it.
Allen gave the Mudkip a gentle rinse. "Alright, little one, when you're bigger, you can join the river. But for now," he said, smiling as the Mudkip flopped happily in his hands, "you're stuck with the baby pool."
Mudkip looked up at him with big, curious eyes as if it understood, then let out a cheerful squeal. It kicked its tiny legs in the water, splashing more mud all over Allen's clothes.
"Hey, hey!" Allen laughed, wiping the mud from his face. "I'm the one giving the bath—not the other way around!"
"Allen!"
Allen turned at the sound of Professor Birch's voice, spotting him walking toward the riverbank. Beside him was an Officer Jenny—though she looked… different.
Her uniform wasn't quite standard issue, and she carried herself with a bit more authority. She also seemed older than the Officer Jennys Allen was familiar with.
"Professor Birch! Officer Jenny!" Allen greeted, standing up quickly.
The woman smiled and pulled out a sleek leather wallet, flipping it open to reveal a gleaming gold badge.
"Commissioner Jenny, actually. Officer Jenny is my daughter."
"Oh," Allen blinked in realization.
Commissioner Jenny chuckled. "No worries, I get that a lot. I was called in from Mauville once the full scope of the situation came to light."
Allen nodded, though curiosity got the better of him. "Ma'am, aren't you in charge of the entire Hoenn police force?"
"Usually, yes."
Allen scratched his head. 'Aren't commissioners usually busy? Why did she come here personally?' he wanted to ask, but it felt awkward.
Commissioner Jenny said with a frown. "It seems Team Aqua has crossed the line this time." She paused and continued, "So I took some time out of my schedule to take a look around."
Allen nodded before looking toward the armored vehicle. "What about Hypno Ma'am?"
This was his first time dealing with a Pokémon left behind by criminals. Usually, in the anime or movies, when criminals are defeated, their Pokémon are either skipped over or forgotten, with the focus entirely on the MC and their group.
Back in Celestic Town, when he'd first clashed with the criminals, his small age had caused him to be dismissed entirely. As a result, he was left in the dark about what happened to the Pokémon involved.
"Hypno will be taken to rehabilitation first before being released to the reserve. It will be difficult for us without its Pokéball, but we can manage. We have a team that specializes in handling Pokémon from criminal backgrounds like that, so we work with them to make sure Hypno is healthy and can function in society again."
"What if the recovery fails? I mean, what if their tendency for violence doesn't disappear? After all, they're still criminals their whole lives."
Commissioner Jenny grinned. "If he can't make that last step toward recovery, he'll be kept at the reserve where we'll make sure he forgets all those things," she shrugged. "It's a small price to pay for a fresh start."
Allen gave a small nod before Commissioner Jenny handed him his student card and a temporary travel permit—something like a passport.
Professor Birch had remained silent from the beginning until the end. Only after Commissioner Jenny finished asking Allen a few questions did he finally speak up.
"Allen, this time, thank you very much..."
He trailed off, unable to finish the thought. Just imagining it was enough—how many Mudkips, Torchics, and Treeckos could've been taken if no one had intervened?
Allen waved his hands frantically, not giving it too much thought. After all, it was Professor Birch who had figured out how to hatch his two eggs.
He actually felt a bit guilty. Unlike Professor Rowan and Professor Magnolia, who owed him for his achievements four years ago, Professor Birch had never really owed him anything. But now, it seemed they were finally on equal footing.
"Alright then," Commissioner Jenny said. "I need to head back to headquarters. Birch, I'll assign a few officers to patrol the perimeter and keep the lab secure for now. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, thank you so much, Commissioner."
"Don't mention it," she waved her hand dismissively before calling her Pokémon, who was resting by the riverbank.
"Tropius, come here!" she called.
Tropius, hearing its name, rose from the riverbank. The sudden movement sent waves splashing around, much like a dinosaur emerging from a prehistoric swamp. Water spilled from its broad, leafy wings, splattering in all directions like a mini rainfall.
"Chirp~Chirp!"
"Mud~Mud!"
Nearby Tropius was the curious and playful little Torchic, who quickly became mesmerized by the sight of the large Pokémon rising from the water.
Watching Tropius rise from the river, with little Mudkip splashing below like it was playing in a waterfall, made the Torchic absolutely green with envy. Some of them were even already preparing to jump straight into the water.
"Hey, no, no, don't go near the water!" Allen shouted urgently, then broke into a mad run as he saw one of the Torchic already striking a diving pose, ready to leap into the water.
Commissioner Jenny, confused by the sudden chaos, turned to Professor Birch. "Is he working here? Isn't he still a little young?"
Professor Birch laughed. "Haha, no. This kid was specially introduced by Rowan and Oak. They specifically asked me to take care of him. At first, I thought he was just another kid, but I didn't expect him to be so attentive to Pokémon. Every time he comes here, he's usually the one who watches over the regional starters."
Thinking about the starter Pokémon, Birch slapped his forehead. "Ah, crap, I think I forgot to hand over the starter Pokémon to the kids again."
With that, he glanced at Commissioner Jenny with a hopeful smile—only to be met with a firm rejection.
"No! This time, you're handling it yourself! How many times have you forgotten to give the kids their starter Pokémon?" she scolded, turning on her heel and walking away, leaving Professor Birch behind with a defeated sigh.
"Ah... looks like my paycheck's getting cut again this month," he muttered, gazing up at the bright blue sky. Then, under his breath, he added, "I really need to find an assistant soon..."
Meanwhile, back with Allen, he broke into a dash the moment he saw the little chick boldly striking a dramatic diving pose—completely unaware of how dangerous it was.
Torchic are distrustful Pokémon. They dislike humans in their territory and will try to stay away if possible.
So when a blur of a boy came sprinting at them on two legs like a wild Tauros—flailing and shouting like a madman—the group of little chicks froze in wide-eyed horror.
"Chirp?! Chiiip?!"
One Torchic promptly flopped over with a dramatic thud, legs stiff in the air like it had fainted from sheer shock.
Another let out a startled chirp, bolted into a bush, and vanished entirely—leaving behind only a single, trembling leaf.
A few others scattered, running in frantic little circles, kicking up dust as they peeped in pure confusion.
And then… there was that one.
The bold one.
The one already standing at the edge of the river, ready to dive. Startled by the chaos, its instincts kicked in… unfortunately, the wrong ones.
With a determined chirp, it spread its stubby wings wide and shouted, "Tor-chiiic!!"
It bounced on its tiny talons once, twice—and then launched itself into the air with shocking grace.
Time slowed.
Its wings stretched as if it were soaring on pure dreams and adrenaline. Its little orange body arched mid-air in the most majestic, over-the-top pose imaginable.
'I BELIEEEEEVE I CAN FLY—!!!'
Thankfully, Allen had already leapt into action. Soaring through the air with his arms outstretched, chest-first, he belly-flopped onto the ground with a thud. By the time he landed, the Torchic was already safely in his arms, chirping in clear dissatisfaction with the outcome.
Among Mudkip, Torchic, and Treecko, the one that is both the most mischievous and the most vulnerable is definitely Torchic. This is something Professor Birch and his assistant made sure to teach him first.
Of course, it was all quite superficial—just observing from a distance, making sure they didn't get into dangerous situations. As for feeding them or handling other responsibilities, he was far from qualified.
"You'll never find a wild Torchic on its own in the wild," Professor Birch explained one day as they watched a group of starters play near the lab. "Even if you do find one, you need to report it immediately to the Pokémon Center or the nearest police station, and you'll be rewarded."
Torchic's quirkiness is indeed a source of concern. They simply aren't cut out for survival on their own. They're too clumsy and often hurt themselves in accidents.
"They're also afraid of the dark and will start crying if left alone at night," Professor Birch continued.
This is why you rarely, if ever, see wild Torchic. They're usually found hiding behind a Combusken or Blaziken for protection.
"Marsh~?"
Seeing its trainer and the little Torchic chirping furiously in his hands, Marshtomp curiously backpedaled in front of Allen, asking what he was doing.
Allen smiled wryly at his Pokémon. "Hey, Muddy, do you think you can take on a Yokai on your own?"
"Marsh~?" Marshtomp tilted its head, confused. 'Why do I need to fight that thing alone? Usually, it's me, that blue dragon, and Lollita, isn't it?'
Thinking of that zombie-like Pokémon, a chill crept down Marshtomp's spine. 'Too disturbing!'
For Marshtomp, who had never gone on a real adventure or faced dangerous situations, facing a Hisuian Zoroark was truly a terrifying thought. It wasn't just a Pokémon—it was like a spooky ghost story come to life. Marshtomp imagined it jumping out of the bushes with creepy, glowing eyes, and shuddered dramatically.
"Tropp~"
Tropius, the dinosaur-like Pokémon, spotted the little Torchic and blinked its large, kind eyes. Its long neck extended, craning down slowly as it curiously eyed the tiny chick.
"Chir—"
The furious little Torchic stopped in its tracks, its bead-like eyes instantly turning into stars as it looked up at Tropius.
The sight was enough to make Allen taken back. 'What is it doing?'
"Trop~" Tropius growled lowly again, shaking the bananas hanging from its neck. The leaves rustled as it shifted, clearly displeased.
Allen blinked in confusion still didn't understand. "What?"
"Torchic wants the Nanab berry."
At that moment, Allen heard Commissioner Jenny approaching, already with Tropius by her side. She gently patted the Pokémon as it stood beside her.
"It was given by Tropius to the little one in your hand," she explained, smiling. "It seems they've been asking Tropius for it for a while."
Only then Allen understand. So, he reached out and plucked one of the Nanab berries, which looked similar to a banana, and held it out.
The little Torchic immediately shifted its beady eyes from Tropius to the berry in Allen's hand, its focus now entirely on the fruit.
"Hahaha, see?" Commissioner Jenny laughed before she climbed onto Tropius's back and patted him gently. "Don't worry, my Tropius is always happy to share. He does the same for little kids in Mauville."
Allen nodded and glanced at the berry in his hand. It reminded him of the Cherubi fruit back in Celestic Town. Just like in Sinnoh, Hoenn had its own regional snacks—often made from Tropius berries. In fact, some local communities even raised Tropius domestically, not just for companionship, but for their fruit as well.
She gave Tropius another affectionate pat before turning back to Allen. "Alright, kid, take care," she said with a smile, bidding farewell before heading off.
After Commissioner Jenny took off, Professor Birch approached with two eggs carefully cradled in his hands.
"Where is she?" he asked, glancing around.
"She already left," Allen replied.
"Oh, I see. Well, here—these are your eggs," Professor Birch said, gently handing them over. "I've already infused them with a special nutrient fluid based on my previous research. If anything happens, make sure to let me know, alright?"
He paused, then added, "By the way, how's your Zoroark? Still not tamed?"
Allen gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
After their battle earlier, the Zoroark still wouldn't follow commands or even move at his instruction. But Allen considered that progress.
For the first time in four years, he saw no hostility in its eyes—especially after everything that happened today. Maybe the little Mudkip reminded it of the Zorua from its past. So yeah, Allen figured, one step at a time.
Professor Birch looked a little disappointed. He'd been hoping to study the ancient Pokémon more closely. "So, are you heading to Sinnoh now?"
"Yeah," Allen nodded. "But I need to go back and say goodbye to Gordi and the others before first."
"Alright then. Safe travels!" Professor Birch gave Allen a firm pat on the shoulder and smiled broadly.
In the back of his mind, though, the professor was already scheming.
He muttered to himself, already rubbing his hands together. 'Hehehe… once this kid finishes his journey, I'll have him handle all the boring lab stuff. Then I can finally go on an adventure again—maybe even wrestle a wild Salamence or two. Freedom!'