Pokémon: Check-In System

Meowth spread its paws wide, golden energy swirling around its body. In the next moment, a series of shimmering coins materialized around it.

Under Meowth's control, the coins shot toward Nero.

Pay Day wasn't particularly fast, and Nero easily dodged the incoming attack.

After evading, Nero quickly picked up one of the coins and placed it in his palm. "Wait a second… is this thing real?"

Just as he was about to sneak a quick taste, the coin in his hand disintegrated into golden dust and vanished into the air.

Seeing Nero's actions, Meowth's face twisted into a look of utter disdain.

You filthy commoner! How dare you defile my precious coins with your grubby paws!

Meowth ground its teeth in fury, its sharp gaze making its emotions crystal clear.

Of course, Nero had no idea what Meowth was thinking.

"Alright, enough messing around. Time to give that back."

Nero extended his hand toward Meowth, demanding the return of his item.

Even though the coin was fake, which was a little disappointing, the real priority was retrieving his Fast Ball.

After all, that was a rare Poké Ball—there was no way he could just let Meowth walk off with it.

Being not only a kind and civic-minded individual but also a pure-hearted and friendly model student, Nero initially planned to resolve this peacefully. However, if Meowth refused, the Combusken standing behind him was more than ready for action.

"Meow! Meow meow!"

Meowth let out a furious cry.

Nero, not understanding Pokémon language, scratched the back of his head in confusion as Meowth continued to meow angrily.

Judging by its reaction, it was clear that Meowth had no intention of returning the Fast Ball.

"In that case, we won't hold back! Combusken, go—"

Before Nero could finish his command, several pairs of glowing black eyes suddenly appeared from within a trash can and the depths of a nearby alley.

Moments later, more Pokémon emerged from the shadows.

One Meowth…

Two Meowth…

Three Meowth…

…

Nero quickly estimated that there were at least a dozen Meowth staring back at him.

Well, this just got complicated.

"Meow!!!"

All at once, the Meowth let out sharp cries, their bodies glowing with a golden radiance!

The dazzling gold coins they conjured stood out starkly against the dark alleyway as every single Meowth launched a barrage of Pay Day attacks!

Coach, we have a full-scale coin assault here!!!

The overwhelming rain of sparkling coins nearly blinded Nero's titanium-reinforced 24K eyes. Luckily, he had solid mental fortitude and quickly called out to Combusken:

"Feather Dance!"

"Cha-mo!"

Combusken leapt down from the wall, landing in front of Nero. It immediately spun rapidly, scattering a large number of vibrant orange-red feathers into the air.

The feathers formed a circular defensive barrier around Nero and Combusken. When the Pay Day coins struck the swirling Feather Dance, they were effortlessly deflected with no effect.

However, these Meowth were far smarter than they looked. Realizing that even combined, they might not stand a chance against Combusken, they used the coin barrage as a distraction before quickly turning tail and fleeing.

As the Feather Dance dissipated, Nero and Combusken regained their vision and saw what had happened. Without hesitation, they took off in pursuit.

Fortunately, Nero kept himself in good shape, so his running speed wasn't bad. However, as he turned a corner, two Meowth suddenly leaped at him!

Combusken reacted first, raising its legs and swiftly kicking both Meowth away before they could land their attack.

"Meow!!"

A sudden sound came from above. Nero instinctively looked up—

A Meowth stood atop the roof of an old, dilapidated building, its eyes fierce and unyielding.

With a powerful leap, the Meowth sprang into the air, its claws glowing a brilliant white as it dove straight at Nero from above.

At that moment, Combusken was still entangled with three other Meowth and couldn't make it in time.

Meowth's rapidly approaching figure reflected in Nero's pupils. Reacting quickly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small purple sphere—

A Smoke Ball!

Without hesitation, Nero hurled the Smoke Ball at the descending Meowth. With no way to dodge mid-air, the attack struck it head-on.

A thick cloud of purple smoke exploded outward, engulfing the airborne Meowth. It coughed violently, its vision blurred by the irritating fumes.

As Meowth crashed to the ground, Nero wasted no time scooping it up. He swiftly opened a nearby trash can and stuffed Meowth inside.

Knowing that Meowth had a particular fondness for round objects, Nero graciously reopened the lid and tossed in another Smoke Ball.

To ensure that no one interrupted this Meowth's 'pleasant smoky retreat,' Nero stacked a discarded appliance on top of the trash can lid for good measure.

By the time Combusken had finished dealing with its opponents, Nero and his partner regrouped.

The rest of the Meowth had vanished into the distance, but Combusken seemed to have memorized their escape route.

Following Combusken's lead, Nero turned several corners and eventually arrived in front of a kindergarten.

Moonlight cast pale shadows on the ground. Since it was too dark to see clearly, Nero took out a flashlight.

Clicking it on, he illuminated the kindergarten in front of him.

The building was made of wood. A rusted wooden door, shattered windows, a worn-out slide…

Vines crawled along the outer walls. Just from this scene alone, Nero could tell that the kindergarten had been abandoned for a long time.

"Are you sure the Meowth ran in here?"

Gazing at the eerie, decayed building, Nero couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

"Cha-mo, cha-mo."

Combusken nodded firmly in confirmation.

Nero hesitated for a moment. "Alright, let's check it out. If things get dicey and we can't retrieve the Fast Ball, you'll just have to grab me and make a run for it…"

The atmosphere surrounding the kindergarten was undeniably creepy, but after chasing the Meowth for so long, it would feel like a waste to give up now.

Might as well take a look inside.

If things really went south, with Combusken's Speed Boost ability and its mastery of 'Shave' (a technique reminiscent of extreme speed maneuvers), they could escape at a moment's notice.

With that thought, Nero's courage surged.

The wooden door was already ajar. Nero and Combusken stepped inside.

Nero carefully examined the interior.

The kindergarten had clearly been abandoned for years. Wild grass grew around the edges of the building, and the scent of rotting wood filled the air.

After observing for a while, Nero noticed numerous Meowth footprints in the muddy pathway, further confirming that their target was inside.

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