"Oh, Ash, you actually recognize this Pokémon!" Professor Oak exclaimed, a look of surprise on his face after hearing Ash say Pikachu's name.
Although he had taught all the people in Pallet Town a lot of basic Pokémon knowledge and explained most of the Kanto region's Pokémon, who was Ash?
The perennial underachiever! He had barely put any effort into his studies!
It had to be admitted that Ash's passion and love for Pokémon were unmatched by anyone his age, but when it came to knowledge... it was somewhat disastrous.
Therefore, for Ash to recognize Pikachu now was an extremely rare occurrence.
Professor Oak's praise made Ash's face light up with pride. He puffed out his chest, and his nose seemed to lengthen: "Of course, it's Pikachu! I naturally recognize it! This is definitely a very powerful Pokémon! With this Pokémon as my starter, my future as a Champion is already set in stone!"
Professor Oak looked at Ash as if he were an idiot, hesitated for a long time, but still didn't tell Ash that Pikachu was a common Pokémon in the Kanto region.
It seemed that although Ash knew Pikachu, he probably didn't know much about it, otherwise, why would he say such a thing?
Pikachu, upon hearing Ash's words, even though it generally disliked humans, couldn't help but feel a slight fondness for Ash.
After all, people who considered Pikachu a powerful Pokémon were truly rare...
"Alright, since you have no objections to Pikachu, then take these things and set off," Professor Oak said, handing Ash a Pokédex and a few Poké Balls.
Ash casually put the items in his pocket, then crouched in front of Pikachu, affectionately rubbing Pikachu's head and saying, "Please take care of me from now on, Pikachu… Ahhh!!!"
Before Ash could even enjoy the softness of Pikachu's fur, Pikachu's expression had already changed, and some golden electric sparks flickered around its body.
"Pika—chu!!"
A massive electric current surged through Ash, making his whole body numb, and his pajamas were scorched black from the high-voltage Thunder Shock.
scorched black from the high-voltage Thunder Shock.
"Oh, I forgot to mention, this Pikachu has some personality issues. It's quite unruly, doesn't like going into a Poké Ball, and is very resistant to unfamiliar Trainers. It's one of my problem students here, quite a good match for you, actually," Professor Oak said belatedly after seeing Ash get shocked.
"Why didn't you… say so sooner…" Ash exhaled a puff of black smoke and collapsed onto the ground.
If his body hadn't been far stronger than an average person's, he probably would have gone straight to the hospital after that shock!
Although there was a small interlude, it didn't deter Ash's firm resolve to choose Pikachu as his starter Pokémon.
It definitely wasn't because he had no other choice.
After leaving Ash with some parting instructions for his journey, Professor Oak went back to his research.
When Ash went outside, Professor Oak immediately put down his research, walked to the collection area, and took out a painting. In the painting, a young boy was spiritedly commanding an electric mouse, directly confronting the legendary Suicune.
...
Upon stepping outside, Ash bid farewell to the folks who had come to see him off. Delia was among them; she handed Ash a spatial backpack specifically bought for his journey, filled with numerous daily necessities.
Following that, Ash began walking out of Pallet Town under Delia's gaze, which was slightly worried yet filled with blessings. However, Ash, wearing rubber gloves and dragging Pikachu behind him, made this somewhat somber farewell seem a bit comical.
Not long after, Ash had already walked out of Pallet Town. Along the way, he also changed out of his scorched pajamas.
Now, he wore the red and white cap gifted by the Pokémon League, which he had obtained after sending a thousand letters. He was dressed in a blue jacket and light-colored jeans, looking quite like a spirited youth.
After Ash laboriously dragged Pikachu into the wilderness, he tried to communicate with Pikachu several times, but Pikachu simply ignored him.
Although Ash's initial words had given Pikachu a slight fondness for him, this still couldn't dispel Pikachu's dislike for humans and its desire for independence.
In desperation, Ash opened the chat group in his mind to consult his 'seniors.'
[Ash: Everyone, I've received my starter Pokémon, but this starter doesn't seem very obedient… Were all your Pikachus like this when you first got them?]
[Champion Ash: More or less. I also went through some hardships before finally building a deep friendship with Pikachu.]
[Breeder Ash: I'm different. Since I wanted to become a Breeder from a young age, by the time I set off on my journey, I already had a pretty good level of breeding skill. Then I made some Pokémon food and directly bribed Pikachu. So, newbie, become a Breeder! There are huge benefits!]
[Bo Dao Yong Zhe Xiao Zhi: This guy is trying to trick people into your profession again. Forget it, most 'me' would choose Pokémon battles more often. I don't know what you were thinking, going into the breeding profession.]
[Breeder Ash: What's wrong with breeding?! Breeding can also raise powerful Pokémon, okay! Don't look at me being a Breeder in our world; when it comes to Pokémon battles, few can beat me!]
[Ash: Um… can we put aside the discussion about professions for now? So, how should I catch Pikachu now? He doesn't listen to me when I talk, and after I give him food, he eats it and then turns around and acts like he doesn't know me. It's so hard to deal with.]
Ash interrupted the professional discussion that was gradually brewing in the group, shifting the topic back to the main point.
That was how to make Pikachu obey him successfully.
[Champion Ash: Don't worry. Pikachu and I… that is, you, are connected by a deep bond of fate. It shouldn't be long before something happens that will advance your bond with Pikachu. More importantly, I said I'd tell you about this chat group after you received your starter Pokémon, and now I can tell you.]
[Ash: Uh… does this group have any other functions besides letting me chat with other versions of myself?]
[Champion Ash: Yes, and it's a very useful function for you. First, look at the top right corner of the chat group page. Is there a light dot? Use your will to click on it.]
Champion Ash's words made Ash, who was in his thought-form, turn his gaze to the top right corner of the chat group.
Indeed, just as Champion Ash said, there was a light dot there. Ash unhesitatingly clicked on it with his will…