[Ash: I haven't even gotten my first Pokémon yet. What about in your worlds? Was it… Squirtle?]
At this point, Ash completely forgot that he was late and still had no Pokémon of his own. His mind was too busy imagining what his starter might have been in other worlds.
[Champion Ash: Mine was Pikachu.]
[Aura Ash: +1]
[Breeder Ash: +10086]
…
With that one question, Ash triggered a flood of replies. And to his shock, every Ash, no matter the world, had the same answer. Their starter Pokémon was always Pikachu.
Ash froze.
'So even though we've all turned out differently, every version of me started with Pikachu…?'
[Ash: Uh… just asking, but… what kind of Pokémon is Pikachu?]
The entire chat fell silent.
Half a minute ticked by. Not a single response. Ash even wondered if the group had glitched.
[Tactician Ash: I honestly don't know how to answer that. Why don't you just go get your starter Pokémon first? You'll find out soon enough what Pikachu really is.]
[Ash: Oh right!! I still need to get my starter Pokémon! How do I get out of this place?!]
Tactician Ash's reminder snapped him back to reality. He still hadn't gone to Oak's Lab!
[Champion Ash: Easy. Just think the word exit and you'll leave. Once you've got your partner, we'll explain the group's features in detail.]
[Ash: Got it!]
Ash answered in a rush, then mentally shouted exit!
His vision spun, and his consciousness jolted back into his body.
He found himself half-crouched on the ground, one hand pressed against his head. Not far ahead stood Professor Oak's Laboratory.
At the entrance, a crowd had gathered. They weren't waiting, they were sending someone off.
Ash shook himself, sprinted into the crowd, and shoved his way to the front.
There, surrounded like a star at the center of the sky, stood a boy with spiky brown hair and a confident smirk.
It was Gary Oak, Professor Oak's grandson.
He, too, was beginning his journey today. Judging by the look of things, Gary had already received his first Pokémon.
Gary spotted Ash stumbling through the crowd in pajamas and slippers and couldn't resist sneering.
"Oh? If it isn't blockhead Ash. Still empty-handed, I see. What's the matter, planning to battle using only that thick skull of yours?"
"Idiot! Who are you calling that?!" Ash waved his fist, shouting furiously.
In every city across the regions, the Pokémon League dispatched instructors to teach children the basics of Pokémon knowledge and prepare future Trainers.
In Pallet Town, that responsibility fell to Professor Oak. His scholarship was so advanced that he could have taught Gym Leaders without breaking a sweat, teaching ordinary kids was child's play for him.
Thanks to his guidance, Pallet Town had produced plenty of promising Trainers with good reputations. But so far, not a single one had climbed high enough to reach the rank of Elite Four or Champion.
Both Ash and Gary had studied under Professor Oak, and their rivalry had started there. When it came to academics, Ash was hopelessly outclassed; he was always at the bottom of Oak's students.
But when it came to physical strength… ten Garys wouldn't add up to one Ash.
Luckily, Ash wasn't the kind of kid who picked fights or caused trouble. Otherwise, with Gary's cocky personality, he'd probably have been knocked flat by Ash hundreds of times over the years.
Even so, Gary loved to slap the label of "simple-minded musclehead" on Ash whenever he had the chance.
"You're so scatterbrained you can even show up late on the day you're supposed to get your first Pokémon. With a brain like that, don't get yourself eaten by a Gyarados on your very first day out." Gary smirked, his words dripping with sarcasm.
Ash's fists clenched, his teeth grinding, but he couldn't come up with a comeback.
According to League rules, every Trainer who turned ten could apply for their first Pokémon through the League's local envoy. The day to receive it was fixed: the eighth of the month. Miss it, and you'd have to wait until the next month's ceremony.
For that reason, no ten-year-old Trainer would ever dream of being late on their special day. To miss it was unthinkable.
"You've already gotten your Pokémon?" Ash demanded.
"Of course I have." Gary flipped his bangs with a smug grin. "I'm about to leave on my journey. What, did you think I'd come here to cheer you on instead? If you don't hurry inside, blockhead, you really will have to wait until next month."
A flicker of warning hid beneath his mocking tone.
Ash didn't waste another second. He shoved past Gary and sprinted into Professor Oak's Laboratory.
Gary gave Ash one last smug glance before turning back to the crowd, loudly boasting about his future ambitions and declaring that he was about to begin his great journey.
Meanwhile, Ash dashed straight into Professor Oak's Laboratory.
Inside, he immediately spotted Professor Oak hunched over a microscope, muttering to himself as he scribbled notes. Ash skidded to a stop, waving frantically.
"Professor Oak, I'm here! Where's my Pokémon?!"
Startled, Oak nearly dropped his pen. He turned around to find Ash standing right in front of him.
"Goodness, Ash, you frightened me. But really, on such an important day, how could you be so late? If you'd come any later..."
"Stop, stop, stop! I know, I know, Professor Oak!" Ash interrupted, flailing his arms. "I messed up, okay? But where's my Pokémon?!"
Oak sighed and gestured toward a single Poké Ball resting on a stand. Its surface was marked with a bold yellow lightning bolt.
"Over there."
For Trainers who came late, there was never a choice. They simply got what was left. And truth be told, Ash was lucky there was even one Pokémon remaining, otherwise he would've had to wait an entire month for the next distribution.
Ash's eyes lit up. "No choice is no choice… as long as I get one. I wonder if this will be that 'Pikachu' they all mentioned…"
He scooped up the Poké Ball with both hands, staring at the lightning symbol. Then, without hesitation, he hurled it into the air.
"Come out, my very first Pokémon!"
The ball snapped open mid-arc, releasing a burst of light. A small, yellow creature took shape as it landed on the floor.
It had bright yellow fur, two brown stripes across its back, a tail shaped like a jagged lightning bolt, long ears tipped in black, and red cheeks that sparked faintly with electricity.
The Kanto region's iconic Electric Mouse Pokémon, Pikachu!
"So… this is Pikachu?" He blinked, taking in every detail, as if trying to etch the sight deep into his memory.