[Ash: Wait a sec… why does that kid look so much like me?]
[Professor Oak: That's because it is you. If I remember right, though, you didn't actually show up to that summer camp.]
At Oak's words, the entire chat froze.
Ash?
Who?
Why was this kid showing up in the broadcast?
Could it be… this five- or six-year-old child was the so-called "Strongest Champion" the curtain spoke of?
What a joke!
[Lance: Don't mess with me. I know Ash—at best, he's just a kid with decent potential.]
[Bruno: I disagree. Ash has a spirit as solid as stone, just like me!]
[Delia: Huh?! Who's spying on my house with a camera?! Pervert!]
[Everyone: ???]
Elsewhere, Goh stared at the flyer clutched in young Ash's hand. Something about it struck him as strangely familiar.
Hadn't he attended that very summer camp?
On the light curtain—
The scene shifted.
A tiny, adorable Pichu appeared, instantly stealing the spotlight.
Its round eyes and clumsy movements drew cries of "So cute!" from countless girls watching.
But as the footage continued, the viewers' hearts tightened.
Pichu were normally found in groups—but this one was alone.
No family. No companions.
As the loneliness grew heavier, the little Pokémon's ears drooped.
Thankfully, a kindhearted Kangaskhan mother took pity on it, scooping Pichu into her pouch and treating it like her own.
The lonely Pichu finally found a family.
The curtain shifted again—
And there was young Ash, still snoring away.
He had slept through the start of Professor Oak's summer camp, missing the entire thing.
White White Silver Town.
Misty sat on the ground clutching Togepi, laughing so hard she drew stares from the crowd.
Brock clapped Ash on the shoulder with exaggerated solemnity.
"Truly, only you could pull something like this off, Ash."
"Heh… it's not that impressive," Ash said sheepishly, scratching his head.
On his shoulder, Pikachu's expression was one of pure disbelief.
That wasn't a compliment, idiot. Why are you blushing like a teapot?!
On the light curtain—
While Ash snoozed, the camp went on.
Professor Oak led a group of children around the forest for their first Pokémon exploration.
Among them, one dark-skinned boy drew attention.
The moment no one was looking, he grabbed a little girl and slipped away into the woods.
Seeing this, Goh nearly jumped to his feet.
Catching Mew had been his dream since childhood—but if he was destined to become the "Strongest Champion," that wasn't so bad either!
Meanwhile, at the Sakuragi Institute, Chloe paled at the sight of the curtain.
A wave of unwelcome memories crashed into her.
On the light curtain—
Chloe trailed nervously behind Goh, who charged ahead recklessly, chasing every wild Pokémon he spotted.
In just moments, they had wandered far beyond the safety zone.
Chloe tugged at his sleeve repeatedly, begging him to stop, but Goh only grew more excited.
Then, a hulking Nidoking appeared.
Chloe froze.
When she finally caught up, gasping for breath—
Goh turned on his heel and bolted without a second thought.
She raised her head—straight into the glare of Nidoking's icy, misty breath.
"Help—"
But when she glanced sideways, Goh was already gone.
Tears welled up in Chloe's eyes.
She stumbled after him, hand outstretched for a figure that was already vanishing into the trees.
[Cynthia: To abandon a companion in the face of a wild Pokémon—that's cowardice.]
[Leon: If you don't have the courage to face wild Pokémon, you have no business wandering into the forest. Professor Oak, you should've kept a closer watch on your campers.]
[Professor Oak: My sincerest apologies. In all my years running these camps, this was the only incident like it. Afterward, I tightened management considerably!]
[Goh: It wasn't my fault! Chloe was just too slow!]
[Lance: So you're the dark-skinned kid? You don't have the qualifications to be a trainer. If you'd abandon a partner, what Pokémon would ever choose to stay by your side?]
[Goh: It wasn't my fault! It was hers!]
Shift the blame, never take it—that had always been Goh's way.
On the light curtain—
Chloe, a girl, couldn't keep pace with Goh's frantic dash.
Soon, she was exhausted. Behind her, Nidoking roared and closed in.
Glancing back in panic, she tripped on a stone and crashed to the ground.
Despair filled her small body as the Nidoking loomed overhead, ready to strike.
"Chloe, get out of the way!"
In the corner of the screen, Goh looked back—only to turn away again and run.
???
Rows upon rows of question marks filled the screen.
Could a person really do something this heartless?
Chloe covered her eyes, trembling, waiting for the fatal blow.
But just as everyone braced to mourn the little girl—
A flash of pink streaked across the scene.
In an instant, Chloe was whisked out of danger.
The pink figure hovering in midair was soon revealed.
Viridian Gym.
In the shadows, Giovanni stiffened, his hand tightening on Persian's fur.
Mew.
He had seen Mew!
From a fossil fragment, they had once extracted its cells and created Mewtwo, the ultimate weapon.
Though Mewtwo had gone out of control, its power was undeniable.
But a living Mew—its value far surpassed any fossil.
And Giovanni wasn't the only one who recognized it.
Cynthia too, though her specialty was the Sinnoh Creation Trio, had studied legends of Mew.
The Mythical Pokémon said to contain the genes of all Pokémon.
[Goh: Mew! It's Mew! I have to catch it!]
[Ash: This guy's crazy.]
[Brock: Even with girls, chasing too hard is creepy. But a Pokémon? That's just disgusting.]
[Gary: For once, I agree with Ash. This guy's way out of line.]
[Cynthia: With Mew around, that little girl will be safe.]
On the light curtain—
After carrying Chloe to safety, Mew reappeared before Nidoking.
With a flick, it unleashed the same move—instantly knocking the beast unconscious.
Goh, who had paused mid-flight, turned back just in time to see Mew's effortless display of power.
Stars lit up in his eyes.
Chloe, meanwhile, trembled between fear and gratitude—traumatized by Nidoking, yet deeply thankful for Mew.
But Goh?
Seeing the danger pass, his first thought wasn't relief.
It was possession.
He stepped forward, arms wide, eyes burning.
"You're incredible, Mew! I'm going to catch you and make you my Pokémon!"