Ash adjusted the strap of his green bag as he made his way up the slope toward Professor Oak's laboratory. His footsteps crunched against the dirt path, mingling with the chatter of Pallet Town residents who had gathered nearby. Even though Pallet was a small town, the day a new group of trainers set out on their journeys was always a big event, and the townsfolk never missed the chance to cheer them on.
Ash, however, wasn't exactly in a hurry. His stride was steady, almost lazy, and his eyes kept flicking toward the great white dome of the lab ahead.
*In the Celebi movie… Professor Oak met me as a kid, didn't he?* Ash chewed the thought like gum, not sure if he wanted to swallow it. *He saw Pikachu on my shoulder back then. What if, even subconsciously, he remembered? Did he give me Pikachu because he knew it was supposed to happen? Or maybe… maybe he even lied about the other starters being gone just to make sure I ended up with Pikachu?*
He frowned, dragging his feet in the dirt. The thought twisted uncomfortably in his chest.
*Ugh. Stop. Don't spiral. You're overthinking again.*
He had always been that way back in his first life—running through endless "what ifs" and "but maybes" whenever things didn't add up. Now, in a world that was supposed to be fiction, that tendency had only grown sharper.
He shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the present. Whatever the truth was, he was about to find out.
---
The crowd around the lab thickened the closer he drew. Excited voices rose over the morning air, punctuated by squeals of delight and bursts of laughter. Kids craned their necks to get a glimpse of the new trainers, while adults waved fondly, calling out encouragement.
And at the center of it all, standing just a little taller and soaking in every ounce of attention, was Gary Oak.
Ash stopped short for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he took in his rival-to-be.
Gary looked every bit like the arrogant prodigy he remembered from the anime, though seeing him in person gave the boy an almost magnetic charisma. His spiky brown hair was styled to look effortlessly wild, though Ash could tell it had taken time to get it that way. He wore a dark purple long-sleeved shirt with a simple necklace around his neck, paired with black trousers tucked neatly into polished boots. The outfit was plain enough not to be called flashy, yet on Gary, it screamed confidence—like he knew he didn't need clothes to stand out, his presence alone would do it.
The cheerleaders surrounding him seemed to agree.
"Gary! Gary! He's the best!" they chanted in perfect unison, their voices high-pitched and adoring. "Gary! Gary! Forget the rest!"
Gary smirked at them, clearly basking in the attention. He tilted his chin slightly, his dark eyes gleaming with satisfaction as though the world itself had already confirmed what he knew to be true: that he was destined for greatness.
Ash exhaled through his nose. *Oh right. Kanto Gary. Ego the size of the Indigo Plateau. This is going to be fun.*
He stepped closer and raised his hand. "Hey, Gary."
Gary's head snapped toward him, and that smug grin widened. "Do not 'hey Gary' me, Ash." He wagged a finger as though scolding a child. "If you so much as wish to compete against the great Gary Oak, the future champion of Kanto, you're going to need to do a lot better than this. At least better than… well… you."
The cheerleaders giggled and clapped at the barb, as though Gary had just delivered the punchline of the century.
Ash sighed dramatically, letting his shoulders slump in exaggerated defeat. *Yep. Egoist confirmed. I'll have to knock him down a peg or two.*
Gary, meanwhile, raised a hand to silence the cheerleaders. "Thank you, thank you, girls." He puffed out his chest and turned toward the wider crowd, his voice carrying like a showman on a stage. "Don't worry, everyone! I'll come back as the greatest Pokémon Master the world has ever seen!"
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Ash groaned inwardly. *Arceus, he's unbearable. At least Paul had grit. This guy's just… flair wrapped in arrogance.*
Still, he couldn't help the tiny smile tugging at his lips. This was *Gary*, after all. The same rival who would push him to grow stronger, who'd clash with him and, in time, even grow into a better person. Right now, though, he was every bit the ego-driven kid Ash remembered.
Gary waved one last time before hopping into a sleek red convertible parked nearby. "See you later, Ashy-boy!" he called with a cocky laugh.
The cheerleaders swarmed into the car with him, giggling as they took their seats. The engine purred, and with a roar of acceleration, Gary sped down the road, leaving a trail of dust and squeals behind.
Ash stood there, coughing faintly in the exhaust cloud. "Ashy-boy. Right. Haven't missed that one bit."
---
He was still brushing dust off his sleeves when he heard footsteps descending from the lab's entrance.
Lifting his gaze, he saw Professor Oak making his way down the stone stairs.
The man looked exactly as Ash had pictured him and yet far more imposing in person. His hair, silver-white and neatly combed, caught the sunlight, making it gleam. His face was lined with age, but not in a way that diminished him—rather, it gave him the kind of seasoned dignity that only came with wisdom and years of experience. His sharp brown eyes scanned the crowd with warmth and authority in equal measure, the kind of look that made people straighten their backs without realizing it.
He wore a crisp white lab coat, buttoned loosely over a light blue shirt and brown slacks. In one hand, he held a clipboard tucked beneath his arm, while the other adjusted his glasses slightly as he descended. Despite his years, there was still a certain vigor to his step, the stride of someone who carried both knowledge and energy.
To Ash, seeing him up close was like a dream solidifying into reality. This wasn't just Professor Oak, the character. This was Professor Oak—the researcher, the mentor, the man whose choices shaped the journeys of countless trainers.
"Good morning, Professor," Ash said quickly, forcing himself to smile.
Oak paused, his eyes settling on the boy before him. Then his lips curved into a genial smile. "Good morning, Ash. So you finally came. I was beginning to think you'd never arrive."
Ash scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "You see… something came up."
Oak chuckled, his voice rich and grandfatherly. "Something always does. That's the way of life. No matter. What's important is that you're here now." He gestured toward the lab behind him, his tone shifting to a note of ceremony. "Shall we move on to the main event? I believe it's time for you to receive your first Pokémon."
Ash's heart thudded, his palms growing clammy. He swallowed hard, though his lips curved into a faint grin.
"Right," he said softly. "Let's do this."
And with that, he followed Professor Oak up the stairs, leaving the bustle of Pallet Town behind as he stepped into the threshold of destiny.