"Oh? Ash, you actually recognized this Pokémon?" Professor Oak raised his brows in surprise when he heard Ash call Pikachu by name.
It wasn't that Oak hadn't taught the children of Pallet Town about Pokémon. On the contrary, he had given them lessons on nearly every known species in Kanto.
But this was Ash, the eternal last-place finisher. When it came to Pokémon knowledge, he barely passed, if at all.
To be fair, Ash's love for Pokémon burned brighter than anyone his age. But knowledge? That was another story.
So the fact that he could correctly identify Pikachu today was… nothing short of miraculous.
Ash puffed out his chest proudly, a smug grin spreading across his face. His nose might as well have grown an inch.
"Of course it's Pikachu! Naturally, I'd recognize it! And this is definitely a super powerful Pokémon! With Pikachu as my starter, my path to becoming Champion is already guaranteed!"
Professor Oak gave him a long, weary look. He considered correcting him, that Pikachu was actually a fairly common Pokémon in Kanto, but held his tongue.
'Better not crush the boy's enthusiasm. Still… to think he's boasting like this. If only he knew.'
Meanwhile, Pikachu had been listening. It normally disliked humans, but hearing Ash so confidently declare it "super powerful" stirred a faint warmth in its little heart. Not many people spoke about it that way.
"Alright, since you've got no complaints about Pikachu, take these and be on your way," Professor Oak said, handing over a shiny red Pokédex and a handful of Poké Balls.
Ash shoved them into his pocket without ceremony, then crouched down in front of Pikachu. Smiling brightly, he reached out and rubbed its head.
"Please take care of me from now on, Pikachu...ahhhhhh!!!"
Before Ash could enjoy the softness of Pikachu's fur, its cheeks crackled with sparks, and its expression shifted into a glare.
"Pika… CHU!!"
A massive jolt of electricity coursed through Ash, frying him from head to toe. His pajamas turned black and smoke curled off his hair as he collapsed in a twitching heap.
"Oh, that reminds me," Professor Oak said belatedly, adjusting his lab coat as if nothing had happened. "This Pikachu has… well, a bit of a personality problem. It doesn't like Poké Balls, isn't fond of strangers, and resists most Trainers. One of my more… troublesome students here. Honestly, a perfect match for you."
"Why didn't you… say that earlier…" Ash groaned, smoke puffing from his mouth before he toppled over onto the floor.
If his body hadn't been tougher than most people's, that Thunder Shock would've sent him straight to the hospital.
But despite the shocking interlude, Ash's determination to choose Pikachu as his starter didn't waver.
Not that he really had any choice in the matter.
Professor Oak left Ash with a few final words of advice for his journey before returning to his research.
After Ash stepped outside, Oak quietly set down his microscope. He walked to a shelf, opened a storage case, and carefully removed a framed painting.
It showed a young boy passionately commanding an electric mouse Pokémon, Pikachu.
Oak gazed at it for a long moment, lost in thought.
Outside, Ash bid farewell to the villagers gathered to see him off. His mother, Delia, was among them. She handed him a special spatial backpack, purchased just for his travels, stuffed with daily necessities.
With her worried yet encouraging gaze at his back, Ash finally set out from Pallet Town.
Of course, the sight was less heroic than it could have been, because Ash was now wearing rubber gloves and dragging a very reluctant Pikachu behind him. The solemn farewell instantly turned into a comical one.
It didn't take long for Ash to leave Pallet Town behind. On the way, he managed to change out of his scorched pajamas into his official gear:
A red-and-white League-issued cap (earned after sending the League a thousand emails), a blue jacket, and light jeans. For the first time, he truly looked like a young Trainer ready to begin his adventure.
Unfortunately, Pikachu still refused to cooperate.
Ash tried several times to talk with it, but Pikachu ignored him completely.
Even though Ash's earlier words had left a faintly good impression, Pikachu's distrust of humans, and its fierce independence, remained unshaken.
At a loss, Ash decided to seek help from his "seniors" in the chat group.
[Ash: Everyone, I've got my starter Pokémon now… but it's not exactly listening to me. Were your Pikachus this stubborn at first?]
[Champion Ash: More or less. I went through some rough patches too before Pikachu and I finally formed a real bond.]
[Breeder Ash: I was different. Since I always wanted to be a Breeder, I already had some decent skills when I started out. I made special Pokémon food and bribed Pikachu right away. So take my advice, newbie, become a Breeder! It comes with perks!]
[Aura Ash: Bro, there you go again, trying to rope us all into your line of work. Let it go. Most versions of us want to battle, not spend hours mixing food in a pot.]
[Breeder Ash: What's wrong with breeding?! Breeding can raise powerful Pokémon too! Don't look down on me just because I'm a Breeder. In my world, even in battles, not many Trainers can beat me!]
[Ash: Um… can we put the whole "profession" argument aside for now? What I really need to know is, how do I get Pikachu to listen? He ignores me when I talk, and even after eating the food I give him, he turns around like he's never seen me before. He's impossible to deal with!]
Ash quickly cut off the debate about careers, dragging the conversation back to the most urgent problem, how to get Pikachu to actually obey him.
That was the key.
[Champion Ash: Don't worry. Pikachu and I, well, you, are bound by a deep fate. It won't be long before something happens that brings the two of you closer together. Oh, right… I said I'd explain more about this chat group after you received your starter Pokémon. Now's a good time.]
[Ash: Uh… so this group can do more than just let me talk with other versions of myself?]
[Champion Ash: Of course. And it's a function you'll find very useful. Look in the upper right corner of the group screen. Do you see a glowing spot? Use your mind to tap it.]
Ash, floating in his mental form, immediately turned his gaze upward.
Sure enough, there it was, a faint light glowing at the edge of the chat screen.
Without hesitation, Ash reached out with his mind and touched it.