POKEMON : THE WAY OF PERCEPTION

"Of course, it means literally..." Bill said, oblivious to Ash's curious expression. He continued, "Do you know there's a legend here in the Cerulean Strait?"

"Legend?" Misty and Brock exchanged puzzled glances, then shook their heads. Ash also pretended to be unaware.

"It's about a gigantic Pokémon!" Bill revealed with a serious tone, leaning slightly forward.

"A gigantic Pokémon?!" Misty and Brock exclaimed in unison. While surprised, they still didn't fully grasp the gravity of Bill's statement.

"That's right! A Pokémon over 100 meters tall!" Bill's face grew serious as he emphasized the size.

"Over 100 meters tall? How is that even possible?!" Misty blurted out in shock. The largest Pokémon known in the world was Wailord, which could reach up to 14.5 meters in length. Even Mega Steelix, when standing upright, was around 10 meters tall, but it was still far smaller than Wailord.

Now, with Bill claiming there was a Pokémon over 100 meters tall, Misty and Brock were stunned, and even Ash was surprised despite his prior knowledge from the anime.

"I didn't believe it myself at first," Bill admitted, pleased with their shocked expressions. "But that's why I built this lighthouse—to see the true form of this gigantic Pokémon!"

"Have you seen it?" Misty asked eagerly, unable to contain her curiosity.

"No, unfortunately," Bill said with a regretful sigh. Misty and Brock couldn't hide their disappointment; they had hoped Bill had already uncovered the truth.

"However," Bill added, his eyes sparkling, "while I haven't seen it fully, I've encountered it a few times. Based on its appearance, I believe it might be a Dragonite!"

"A Dragonite?!"

"A huge Dragonite?!"

"Pi-ka?!"

Misty, Brock, and even Pikachu exclaimed in astonishment. Dragonite, known for its strength and rarity, was already an impressive Pokémon. A 100-meter-tall Dragonite was almost unimaginable!

"Yes, I believe it's a Dragonite," Bill confirmed. "Its massive size and majestic presence are unlike anything else. I've encountered it several times and have noticed a pattern in its appearances. If my calculations are correct, it should appear tonight!"

"Tonight?!" Brock's voice was filled with anticipation. "Does this mean we might see the giant Dragonite ourselves?"

"That's right!" Bill smiled, satisfied with their excitement. "You're quite fortunate to be here at this time."

Bill then showed them a recording. "This is audio I captured during my second encounter with the giant Dragonite."

The sound was distorted, but it clearly resembled a Dragonite's cry. Misty and Brock listened intently, their imaginations running wild.

"I've also deciphered the audio and created another sound to broadcast in response. That's why I built this lighthouse—to use its loudspeaker system to communicate with the Pokémon."

"Do you know what the Dragonite might be saying?" Brock asked curiously.

"I can't say for sure," Bill replied, shaking his head. "But from what I've interpreted, it seems to be saying something like, 'Meet me, I want to see you.'"

Ash nodded in agreement. He had an unusual ability to understand Pokémon language, though he wasn't sure why. He recalled that the giant Dragonite's message was indeed along the lines of wanting to meet someone. However, there was one word in its message he couldn't decipher: Arang.

The term puzzled Ash. He didn't know if it referred to a human, a Pokémon, or something else. It seemed important, but he couldn't place it in his memory.

"Who could this 'Arang' be?" Ash wondered aloud. Despite searching through all his knowledge and memories, he couldn't recall anything significant. "Maybe it's someone or something from a long time ago..."

"When will the Dragonite appear?" Misty asked eagerly.

"Not until after eight o'clock tonight," Bill said, glancing at the clock. It was only two in the afternoon, leaving plenty of time to prepare.

"Can we stay here and wait?" Brock asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" Bill replied with a smile. "But I must apologize. I have some work to attend to and can't entertain you properly. Feel free to use anything in the house, but I only have one room, so you'll need to rest in the living area."

"That's okay! We were planning to camp out on the beach tonight anyway," Ash assured him.

"That's very considerate of you. I'll leave you to your preparations," Bill said, bowing slightly before returning to his work.

---

The trio left the lighthouse and headed to the beach to set up their campsite. They chose a spot close to the forest to avoid high tides.

"I can't wait to see the giant Dragonite!" Misty exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over.

"Let's get everything ready first," Brock said, unpacking the camping gear.

Ash released his Pokémon to let them train while Misty played with her Pokémon by the water. Brock, ever the caretaker, prepared an afternoon snack for everyone.

As Ash watched his Pokémon train, his thoughts drifted back to the mystery of the giant Dragonite and the enigmatic Arang. Could it be connected to something bigger than they realized?

"Tonight's going to be interesting," Ash muttered to himself, his eyes glinting with determination.