[Ash: I really haven't gotten my first Pokémon yet. By the way, what were your starters in the other worlds? Was it Squirtle?]
At that moment, Ash completely forgot that he was already late and still hadn't received any Pokémon. His head was filled with curiosity about what his parallel selves had gotten as starters.
[Champion Ash: Mine was Pikachu.]
[Aura Guardian Ash: +1]
[Breeder Ash: +10086]
[...]
With just that one question, Ash triggered replies from versions of himself across all fields. And without exception, every single one of them had the same starter—Pikachu.
Ash blinked at the messages in shock. So, no matter what they became later on, every version of him had started with the same Pokémon. But then…
[Ash: Dumb question, but… what kind of Pokémon is Pikachu?]
The chat immediately fell silent. Ash waited over half a minute without a single reply. For a second, he thought the Chat Group might have broken.
[Tactics Master Ash: Honestly, I don't even know how to answer something like that. Why don't you just go pick up your starter first? Once you do, you'll find out exactly what Pikachu is.]
[Ash: Oh, right!! I still need to get my starter! How do I leave this place?!]
Tactics Master Ash's reminder jolted him back to reality. He still had to collect his first Pokémon! He didn't have time to waste in this Chat Group.
[Champion Ash: It's simple. Just think 'exit,' and you'll be out. Once you get your starter, we'll explain more about the group and what it can do for you.]
[Ash: Got it!]
Ash hurriedly replied, then quickly willed himself to exit.
His consciousness wavered, and the next moment he snapped back into the real world.
He was still half-kneeling on the ground, clutching his head. Just a short distance ahead stood Professor Oak's Laboratory.
From here, he could see a crowd gathered at the entrance, as though sending someone off.
Ash scrambled to his feet and shoved his way through the crowd until he reached the very center. There, he locked eyes with a boy surrounded like the star of the show.
Gary Oak—Professor Oak's grandson.
He was also leaving on his journey today, and judging by the scene, he'd already gotten his Pokémon.
"Well, well, if it isn't good-for-nothing Ash. Nothing but brawn, no brains at all," Gary sneered when he spotted Ash.
"Gary, you jerk! Who are you calling useless?!" Ash clenched his fists, shouting angrily.
In every town, the League sent instructors to teach the children—the future Trainers—about Pokémon.
In Pallet Town, that role fell to Professor Oak himself. His knowledge was so vast that even Gym Leaders wouldn't have minded him as their lecturer.
Thanks to his teaching, Pallet Town had produced quite a few Trainers of note. But none had ever gone on to reach the ranks of the Elite Four or higher.
Ash and Gary were both Oak's students, and they'd been rivals since childhood. In terms of academics, Ash was hopelessly behind—he was basically the bottom of the class.
But in terms of physical ability? Ten Garys couldn't match one Ash.
If Ash had been the type to throw punches casually, Gary's smug, in-your-face attitude would've gotten him beaten a hundred times over by now.
Even so, Gary had always labeled Ash as a muscle-headed simpleton.
"On such an important day, you still manage to be late. With a brain like yours, don't get yourself eaten by a Gyarados on day one of your journey," Gary taunted, smirking.
Ash's jaw tightened, his fists trembling, but he couldn't come up with a single retort.
For every fifteen-year-old in the Pokémon League, this was the rule: once you turned fifteen, on a League-designated day, you could apply for your starter Pokémon from the League's representative in your town.
That day was always the eighth of the month. Miss it, and you'd have to wait until the next month.
No one wanted to delay their journey a whole month. Ash was no exception.
"You already got your Pokémon?" Ash asked.
"Obviously. I'm about to leave, aren't I? Of course I have my Pokémon. But you—if you don't get inside now, you'll really be stuck waiting until next month," Gary said, his mockery edged with a hint of reminder.
Ash didn't waste another second. He darted past Gary and sprinted straight into Professor Oak's Laboratory.
Gary watched him for a moment, then turned back to the villagers, proudly declaring his ambitions and announcing that his journey was about to begin.
…
Inside the laboratory, Ash immediately spotted Professor Oak bent over a microscope.
"Professor Oak! I'm here! Where's my Pokémon?!" Ash shouted as he dashed up.
The professor nearly jumped out of his chair. Looking up, he saw Ash standing right in front of him.
"Good grief, Ash, you nearly scared me out of my lab coat! Do you realize how important today is? And you still managed to be late? If you'd been any later—"
"Stop, stop, stop! I get it, Professor! I know I messed up. So, my Pokémon—where is it?!" Ash cut him off before the lecture could drag on forever.
"There, on the table," Oak said, pointing to a lone Poké Ball resting on a pedestal. A yellow lightning-bolt symbol was stamped on its surface.
Being late meant no choice—that was only fair.
In fact, Ash was lucky there was even one left. At least he wouldn't have to wait until next month.
"No choice, huh? Fine. As long as there's one left, that's good enough. I wonder if this is the same Pokémon the others called… Pikachu…" Ash muttered as he walked over, picking up the ball marked with the lightning bolt.
Without hesitation, he tossed it into the air. "Come on out—my first Pokémon!"
The Poké Ball burst open midair with a flash of light.
And then, a small yellow Pokémon appeared on the floor.
Its fur was bright yellow, with two brown stripes across its back. Its tail was shaped like a jagged lightning bolt. Red electric sacs glowed on its cheeks, and its long ears ended in black tips.
The Pokémon was none other than the Kanto region's well-known Electric Mouse—Pikachu!
"So this is Pikachu, huh?" Ash blinked, trying to burn its image deep into his memory.