Pokemon: A different Ash

"It's all my fault; I didn't understand what you meant in time," Misty said, distressed, hugging Horsea tightly.

"This isn't your fault. Let's just focus on treating its injuries first!" Ash replied calmly, not dwelling on what had just happened.

"Oh, right!" Misty nodded quickly at the reminder, and Brock stepped forward to check on Horsea.

Meanwhile, Ash's gaze wandered to an unfinished building by the shallows.

"What's up with Ash?" Brock asked as he helped with Horsea's injuries. Misty glanced at Ash, noticing where he was looking and turned her attention there as well.

"Nothing," Ash muttered, shaking his head slightly without further explanation.

Just then, a voice called out, "Hello! I heard you saved one of our staff members. Our boss would like to meet you to thank you personally." A man in a black suit approached.

"Boss?" Misty and the others looked at each other, a bit puzzled. Still, they recalled the person they had recently rescued.

"Not interested, tell them we're fine," Ash replied curtly before Misty or Brock could answer.

The men frowned slightly, taken aback by Ash's bluntness, but understanding that he wasn't interested, they didn't press the matter. Misty and Brock exchanged glances but decided not to pursue the invitation either, knowing they hadn't helped for a reward.

With the black-suited men looking uneasy but unable to argue, they could only step aside and call someone on the phone. Misty, Brock, and Ash continued helping Horsea by moving to the shore and gently placing Horsea in the water to speed up its recovery.

As they focused on Horsea, they didn't notice the black-suited men still hanging around. After a moment, Ash looked up and saw them.

"Are you still here?"

"Uh…" The men looked a bit embarrassed at being noticed lingering nearby.

"Are you the Trainers who saved my employees?" A sharp voice interrupted. The men in black stepped aside to reveal a small, dry-looking woman surrounded by a group of intimidating-looking assistants.

"You… you're Brutella?!" Brock exclaimed, wide-eyed.

"Don't compare me to that vulgar person! I'm Nastina, not that greedy, copper-smelling sister of mine!" she snapped, practically spitting in her anger.

Ash sighed, slightly exasperated. It was one thing to have recurring characters like Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy, but Brutella too?

"Nastina? She looks just like Brutella," Misty whispered to Brock. Brock nodded, squinting as he observed her.

"I said, don't confuse me with her! We may be sisters, but we're nothing alike," Nastina growled again.

"Fine, what do you want? If there's nothing important, please leave us alone," Ash replied impatiently. Even though he was there with his friends, he couldn't hide his irritation.

"I heard you saved my employees," Nastina said, rubbing her hands eagerly. "It seems you're very skilled Trainers. I have a favor to ask of you."

"What's the matter?" Misty asked, a bit puzzled.

"You must have seen what happened just now, right? It was all caused by Tentacool!" Nastina snapped, her voice full of anger. It was clear she harbored strong resentment toward the Tentacool.

"Why would Tentacool attack human ships?" Brock asked, confused. "Pokémon don't usually attack humans without reason!"

"Those Tentacool are just a nuisance! There are so many of them, you can't eat them, and they cause havoc day and night!" Nastina fumed. "Worst of all, they've been damaging the sea hotel I worked so hard to build! All our current guests have gone over to that show-off Lampluge." As she spoke, her teeth clenched in frustration.

"I swear I'll build a better resort than Lampluge's, just to show her up," she added, seething.

"Then you're no different from her," Ash said calmly, glancing at the building near the shore.

"What did you say?"

"Why did Tentacool attack you? Did you build your hotel on the coral reef that used to be their habitat?"

"Are you seriously complaining about them defending their home? You're no better than your sister, who runs her business without any regard for others," Ash remarked, already seeing through the situation. To him, Nastina was just as bad as her sister Brutella.

The only real difference, he thought, was that one was driven by greed for money, the other by pride. But to Ash, both were equally in the wrong—if not worse.

"Hmph! This has nothing to do with you. Just help me get rid of those bothersome jellyfish!" Nastina barked, clearly frustrated.

"How could you ask that?!" Misty burst out angrily, her own frustration with Tentacool now turning into sympathy. Brock, too, looked disapprovingly at Nastina.

"Don't concern yourselves with it. Just agree to help, and I'll pay you a million," Granny Yin said, trying to sway them with money.

"We're not interested. You can find plenty of people who'd do it for a million dollars," Ash replied, dismissing her offer without a second thought.

Brock's eyes flickered at the mention of a million—it was no small amount, and he had always worked hard to provide for his family back in Pewter City. But remembering the Tentacool's situation, he quickly pushed the thought aside, standing firm.