The warm breeze rustled the trees as Akg, Delia, and Rena walked along Route 1 on their way to Viridian City. Wild Pokémon darted through the grass and chirped in the trees, but none seemed to pique Akg's interest—he was looking for something special, something that spoke to him.
As they walked, Akg reached into his bag and handed Delia six ordinary Poké Balls, the ones he had received earlier from Professor Oak.
"Here, Delia. You'll need these. You deserve a chance to catch your first Pokémon," Akg said with a gentle smile.
Delia looked at them in her hand, surprised and genuinely moved. "Thank you, Akg... I've never had one of my own before." Her eyes shimmered with childlike joy.
A few minutes later, a Pidgey fluttered near the path, pecking the ground. With Akg's guidance, Delia quietly approached and tossed the Poké Ball after a clean hit. The ball shook once... twice... click! She caught it!
"I did it!" Delia beamed. Rena clapped gently, proud of her.
"Congratulations," Akg said warmly. "You've taken your first step as a Pokémon trainer."
Scene: The Angry Girl by the River
As they continued their journey, they came across a river with crystal-clear water. But their attention was drawn to a fiery-haired girl sitting angrily on a rock, arms crossed, mumbling to herself.
Her bright orange hair was unmistakable. Akg's heart skipped a beat—he knew her instantly.
"Misty..." he whispered under his breath. "One of the main heroines of the original timeline."
He approached cautiously, trying not to seem too eager. Behind him, Delia raised an eyebrow while Rena looked between the two with mild suspicion, causing Akg to feel suddenly self-conscious.
"Um… excuse me," he said, walking up to Misty.
The girl glanced up, her eyes sharp at first—until recognition softened her gaze. "Wait… you're that new young professor everyone's been talking about. My sisters mentioned you!" she stood up straighter, brushing her shorts off.
"I'm Misty. And no, I'm not just sulking—I'm mad! A boy with a badly injured Pikachu showed up out of nowhere, getting chased by Spearow. I told him the fastest way to Viridian City and even lent him my bike... and he just sped off saying he'd return it!"
Delia covered her mouth with a chuckle. Rena tilted her head, still a bit suspicious.
Akg froze. "A boy… injured Pikachu… Spearow…" He already knew. "Ash!"
Without wasting a second, Akg turned to Rena. "Rena, I need you to locate Ash and Pikachu—use your powers, quickly!"
Rena's eyes glowed softly, her aura spreading into the wind as she searched the surrounding area.
Akg muttered, "He must be nearing Viridian City… I just hope he's alright."