"Pichu!"
Pichu, who had been silent before, suddenly sprang to life, leaping off Robert's shoulders the moment Squirtle had fully recovered. Excited to meet their new companion, Pichu extended a tiny paw in greeting.
"Jenny!"
Squirtle, seeing Pichu's outstretched hand, immediately reached out its own and shook it eagerly. It was a silent promise—one that meant Squirtle was looking forward to learning and growing alongside its new friend.
Robert chuckled, watching the interaction between the two Pokémon. "It looks like you two are going to get along just fine. That's a relief. Since it's already getting late, how about we celebrate Squirtle's joining with a delicious lunch?" He patted both their heads affectionately.
"Pichu!"
The moment Pichu heard the word lunch, his ears perked up, twitching uncontrollably. His large, watery eyes locked onto Robert, pleading desperately.
"Johnny!?"
Squirtle tilted its head, confused by Pichu's reaction. It's just lunch, right? Why is he acting like he's never eaten before?
Squirtle had eaten plenty of high-quality Pokémon food before, prepared with the finest ingredients. But never had it reacted the way Pichu was acting now. Could it be that the food Robert provided was even better?
It wasn't long before Squirtle understood why.
---
A Meal Beyond Compare
The moment Squirtle took its first bite, its eyes widened in shock. This food wasn't just delicious—it was on an entirely different level from anything it had ever tasted before. Every bite was bursting with flavor, and Squirtle could feel its strength increasing with each mouthful.
No regular Pokémon food had ever given it this sensation.
As Squirtle continued eating, it took the opportunity to observe its new teammates. Besides Pichu and Charmeleon, it was introduced to Pidgeot and Beedrill. The moment it realized that Pidgeot and Beedrill were just as strong as Charmeleon, a spark of admiration flickered in its eyes.
What kind of incredible trainer is Robert? Squirtle wondered, staring at him in awe. Not only does he have food that enhances our strength, but he also has some kind of magic power.
From conversations with Charmeleon and Pidgeot, Squirtle learned that Robert possessed a mysterious ability—something that allowed Pokémon to instantly comprehend new moves.
Upon realizing this, Squirtle completely erased any attachment it had to its previous owner, Iwaki.
What former owner? Did I have one? I can't seem to remember.
As far as Squirtle was concerned, it had only ever belonged to one master, and that was Robert. No matter what happened in the future, no matter where life took them, Robert was the only one it would ever recognize as its trainer.
With this newfound determination, Squirtle joined Charmeleon in devouring their meal with relentless enthusiasm, while Robert himself enjoyed his own lunch—an exclusive dish purchased from the Pokémon Mall.
---
Back on the Road
Time flew by.
After finishing lunch and resting for half an hour, Robert resumed his journey toward Vermilion City. Charmeleon, Pidgeot, Beedrill, and Squirtle were all returned to their Poké Balls, leaving Pichu as his sole companion on the road.
As he walked along the forest path, a sudden thought crossed his mind.
"Oh, right…" Robert murmured to himself, pausing in his tracks.
Pichu, who had been lazily resting on his shoulder, perked up. "Pichu!?"
Robert shook his head, smiling. "I just remembered something."
In the original Pokémon series, there had been an abandoned Bulbasaur on one of the roads leading to Vermilion City. If his memory served him correctly, that Bulbasaur had enormous potential.
Robert rubbed his chin, deep in thought. Should I catch it?
It was tempting. Based on what he knew from the anime, that Bulbasaur's individual stats were likely at least 2V—making it an excellent addition to his team.
But after a moment of hesitation, Robert sighed.
"No," he muttered to himself. "I shouldn't interfere with Ash's journey. That Bulbasaur is meant to be his."
Besides, Robert recalled another location—the Venusaur Garden. It was a place filled with wild Bulbasaur, and he would have plenty of options there.
"Yeah," Robert nodded to himself. "That's a better idea. I can always catch one later."
With his decision made, he continued walking toward Vermilion City, determined not to waste any more time. His priority now was collecting Gym Badges as quickly as possible.
---
A Race Against Time
This wasn't an anime. The real world didn't conveniently slow down just to accommodate a leisurely-paced adventure.
According to his calculations, there were still five months left until the Quartz Conference. That meant that Ash had originally taken one year to travel from Pallet Town, challenge the Indigo League, compete in the Orange League, and finally make it to the Johto region.
Robert's goals weren't all that different, which meant he had a tight schedule to stick to.
If he wanted to stay on track, he needed to:
Obtain the remaining six Gym Badges within two months.
Spend the next three months focusing on intensive training for Charmeleon and the others.
Look for potential new Pokémon additions to his team.
With this timeline in mind, Robert had no intention of slowing down. While he didn't mind the occasional battle with wild Pokémon trainers along the way, he wouldn't actively go out of his way to hunt down Pokémon just to earn coins (points).
At least, not unless something unexpected happened.
---
Unexpected Challenges
As Robert continued walking, he soon encountered a group of Pokémon trainers on the side of the road. They appeared to be bug catchers—likely rookies who had just started their journeys.
One of them, a boy with a net, spotted Robert and immediately ran up to him.
"Hey, you!" the boy called out. "You look like a strong trainer! Battle me!"
Robert raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"
The boy puffed out his chest. "Of course! My Beedrill is really strong!"
Robert sighed. Why does every bug catcher say that?
Still, he wasn't in the mood to crush a beginner's enthusiasm. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a coin.
"Let's make a deal," Robert said. "Flip this coin. Heads, we battle. Tails, we don't."
The boy blinked in confusion but nodded. "Okay!"
Robert flipped the coin.
Tails.
The boy pouted. "Aw, man!"
Robert smirked. "Maybe next time. But keep training—one day, you'll get your chance."
With that, he continued on his way, leaving the bug catcher disappointed yet determined.
---
Final Thoughts
As he walked, Robert thought about his current progress.
He had already formed a powerful team—Charmeleon, Pichu, Squirtle, Pidgeot, and Beedrill. Each of them had remarkable potential, and with the right training, they could easily become some of the strongest Pokémon in the region.
Still, he wasn't done yet. He needed at least one or two more additions before the Indigo League.
And with time ticking away, he had to make every moment count.
With renewed determination, Robert tightened his grip on his Poké Ball belt and continued toward Vermilion City, ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.
---
To Be Continued…
---
More episodes are available on patreon
https://www.patreon.com/Atoki_29