"Yo, Ash, I'm surprised you even recognized this Pokémon!" Professor Oak looked astonished when Ash correctly named Pikachu.
He had, after all, taught the basics of Pokémon knowledge to everyone in town, covering most of the species in Kanto. But this was Ash we were talking about.
The eternal underachiever. The one who almost never paid attention to the academic side of things.
To be fair, Ash's passion for and love of Pokémon surpassed anyone else his age, but when it came to actual knowledge… well, it was downright pitiful.
So for Ash to actually recognize Pikachu now—this was a rare moment indeed.
Professor Oak's praise immediately made Ash puff out his chest in pride, his nose practically stretching upward. "Of course! It's Pikachu! Naturally, I know it! Pikachu's gotta be a really powerful Pokémon! With Pikachu as my starter, becoming Champion is basically guaranteed!"
Professor Oak stared at him like he was a fool. He hesitated, then decided not to mention that Pikachu was one of the most common Pokémon in Kanto.
Clearly, Ash knew Pikachu by name, but not much beyond that—otherwise, he wouldn't be saying something this ridiculous.
Pikachu, standing nearby, twitched his ears at Ash's words. Even though he wasn't fond of humans, he couldn't help but feel a tiny flicker of warmth toward this boy.
After all, there weren't many who would treat Pikachu as a truly powerful Pokémon…
"Alright then, since you're fine with Pikachu, take these and get going." Professor Oak handed Ash a Pokédex and a handful of Poké Balls.
Ash stuffed them into his pockets, then crouched down in front of Pikachu, smiling as he rubbed its head. "Let's get along from now on, Pikachu… ahhh!!"
Before Ash could savor the softness of Pikachu's fur, Pikachu's expression shifted. Sparks crackled across his body, golden electricity dancing around him.
"Pika—CHU!!"
A huge jolt shot through Ash, electricity flooding his body. His whole frame went numb, his pajamas scorched black under the high voltage.
"Oh, I forgot to mention," Professor Oak said belatedly, watching Ash twitch on the floor, "this Pikachu has… a bit of a personality issue. He's unruly, hates being in Poké Balls, and doesn't like strangers. He's one of my problem students. Honestly, he's a perfect match for you."
"Why… didn't you say that sooner…" Ash wheezed out a cloud of smoke, collapsing flat on the ground.
If his body weren't tougher than most, that one shock would've sent him straight to the Pokémon Center!
Still, the little mishap didn't shake Ash's determination. He was set on having Pikachu as his starter.
Definitely not because he had no other choice.
After giving Ash a few words of advice for his journey, Professor Oak returned to his research.
But the moment Ash left, Oak set aside his work, walked over to his collection room, and pulled out a framed picture.
In it, a young Trainer stood confidently, commanding an Electric Mouse Pokémon in a battle against the Legendary Suicune itself.
…
Outside, Ash said goodbye to the villagers who'd come to see him off. His mother, Delia, was there too. She handed him a Backpack she'd bought just for his journey, packed full of daily essentials.
Ash caught the look in her eyes—half worry, half pride and blessing—as he turned and walked toward the edge of Pallet Town.
Of course, with Ash wearing rubber gloves and dragging Pikachu along behind him, the dramatic farewell looked a little more comical than it was meant to.
Before long, Ash had left Pallet Town behind. Along the way, he took the chance to change out of his charred pajamas.
Now he wore the red-and-white cap he'd begged the Pokémon League for after sending over a thousand letters, a blue jacket, and light denim jeans. Finally, he looked the part of a fresh young Trainer.
Out in the wild, Ash tried talking to Pikachu a few times, but Pikachu flat-out ignored him.
Even if Ash's earlier words had earned him a sliver of goodwill, it wasn't enough to overcome Pikachu's dislike of humans or his desire for independence.
With no other option, Ash opened the Chat Group in his mind to seek advice from his other selves.
[Ash: Guys, I got my starter, but he doesn't listen to me at all… Were your Pikachu like this too?]
[Champion Ash: Pretty much. I went through a lot before Pikachu and I finally built a deep bond.]
[Breeder Ash: Mine was different. Since I wanted to be a Breeder, I already had some skill when I set out. I made some special Pokémon food and won Pikachu over right away. So, rookie, become a Breeder! The benefits are huge!]
[Aura Guardian Ash: There you go again, trying to drag someone into your path. Forget it. Most of us focus on battling anyway. Don't know what was going through your head when you decided to become a Breeder.]
[Breeder Ash: What's wrong with being a Breeder?! Breeding can raise just as powerful Pokémon, thank you very much! Don't let the title fool you—in my world, there aren't many Trainers who can beat me in battle either!]
[Ash: Uh… can we not argue about jobs right now? What I need to know is—how do I actually get Pikachu to listen? He ignores me when I talk, and when I feed him, he eats, then immediately goes back to pretending I don't exist. This is tough.]
Ash cut off the brewing argument, steering the conversation back to the problem at hand—how to get Pikachu to obey him.
[Champion Ash: Don't worry. Pikachu and you—that is, us—are bound by fate. It won't be long before something happens that brings you closer together. In the meantime, I told you earlier there was more to this Chat Group than just chatting. Now that you've got your starter, I can explain.]
[Ash: Huh? The group has functions beyond talking to my other selves?]
[Champion Ash: It does. And they're very useful to you. Look at the top right corner of your Chat Group screen. Do you see a glowing dot? Use your thoughts to tap it.]
Following Champion Ash's instructions, Ash turned his attention within the Chat Group.
Sure enough, just as Champion Ash said, there was a glowing point in the upper-right corner.
Without hesitation, Ash focused his will and tapped it—