Chapter 2: Is Every Ash's Starter Pokémon a Pikachu?
[Ash]: I still haven't actually gotten my first Pokémon yet. Speaking of which, what starters did you guys get? Was it Squirtle?
Ash had completely forgotten that he was late and that the other starter Pokémon were likely already taken. His mind was now consumed with curiosity about the partners of his alternate selves.
[Champion Ash]: I got a Pikachu.
[Aura Guardian Ash]: +1
[Breeder Ash]: +1
[...]
One after another, the Ashes from every field popped up in the chat. Without a single exception, their starter Pokémon was Pikachu.
Ash stared at the messages, completely stunned. It seemed that even though his other selves had walked vastly different paths, they had all started in the exact same way. But...
[Ash]: Okay, dumb question, but what's a Pikachu?
The entire chat group went silent.
Ash waited for over thirty seconds, but not a single person replied. For a moment, he thought the chat group had crashed.
[Master Tactician Ash]: I... honestly don't know how to answer that. Why don't you go get your starter first? Then you'll know what a Pikachu is.
[Ash]: Oh, right! I still have to get my Pokémon! How do I get out of this place?!
The reminder from the Master Tactician jolted Ash back to reality. He was supposed to be getting his first Pokémon! He couldn't afford to waste any more time in here!
[Champion Ash]: It's easy. Just think the word 'exit.' Once you've got your starter, we can properly explain how this all works and the features that can help you on your journey.
[Ash]: Got it!
Ash quickly replied and then focused his mind on the word 'exit.'
His consciousness snapped back, and he found himself in the real world again.
He was still kneeling on the ground, one hand clutching his head. Just a short distance away stood Professor Oak's Laboratory.
From where he was, he could see a crowd of people gathered around the entrance, seemingly sending someone off.
Scrambling back to his feet, Ash charged into the crowd, pushing his way to the very center. There, surrounded by a group of admirers, a familiar boy met his gaze.
It was Gary Oak, the Professor's grandson.
He was also starting his journey today, and from the looks of it, he'd already received his Pokémon.
"Well, well, if it isn't Ash," Gary said with a smirk. "The loser who's all muscle and no mind."
"Who are you calling a loser, Gary?!" Ash shouted, shaking his fist angrily.
In every town, the Pokémon League assigned instructors to teach the basics of Pokémon knowledge to the next generation of Trainers. In Pallet Town, that role was filled by none other than Professor Oak himself. His expertise was so great that he could have easily been a mentor to Gym Leaders, let alone a group of kids.
Thanks to his guidance, Pallet Town had produced a number of noteworthy Trainers, though none had yet reached the level of the Elite Four or Champion.
Ash and Gary had been in the Professor's classes together since they were kids and had been rivals from the start. Academically, Ash was no match for Gary; in fact, he was probably at the bottom of the class.
But when it came to physical ability, ten Garys wouldn't stand a chance against Ash.
It was a good thing Ash wasn't the type to pick fights, or Gary's cocky attitude would have earned him over a hundred beatdowns by now. Even so, Gary had successfully branded him with the title of "strong but simple."
"I can't believe you're late on a day as important as this. You really are hopeless," Gary jeered. "With a brain like yours, I'll be surprised if you don't get eaten by a Gyarados on your first day."
Ash gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, but he had no comeback. He knew Gary was right.
For any fifteen-year-old in the region, the official Pokémon distribution day was a massive event. The League designated the eighth of every month as the day new Trainers could receive their first Pokémon from their town's Pokémon Professor. If you missed it, you had to wait a whole month for the next one.
No aspiring trainer would ever miss their first distribution day. The thought of delaying their journey by a month was unbearable, and Ash was no exception.
"You already got your Pokémon?" Ash asked, changing the subject.
"Duh. I'm about to head out, of course I have my Pokémon," Gary said, his voice dripping with sarcasm before he added a slight warning. "Unlike you. If you don't hurry up, you really will be waiting until next month."
Taking the hint, Ash pushed past Gary and sprinted into the lab.
Gary watched him go for a moment before turning back to the townspeople, boasting about his grand ambitions as he prepared to set off on his journey.
Inside the lab, Ash spotted Professor Oak hunched over a microscope. He rushed over to the professor's side.
"Professor Oak, I'm here! Where's my Pokémon?" he yelled impatiently.
Startled from his research, the Professor turned and saw Ash standing before him.
"Goodness, you scared me! It's you, Ash," he said, adjusting his glasses. "I have to say, how could you be late on such an important day? If you had been any later..."
"Stop, stop! I know I messed up, Professor, I'm sorry! So, my Pokémon?" Ash cut him off, desperate to stop the lecture before it could gain momentum.
"Hmph. Over there," Professor Oak said, pointing to a stand where a single, solitary Poké Ball rested. On its surface was a yellow lightning bolt symbol.
Beggars can't be choosers. That was just how it was.
In fact, he was lucky there was even one left at all. At least he wouldn't have to wait another month.
"Well, a choice of one is still a choice, I guess," Ash muttered to himself as he walked over and picked up the Poké Ball. "I wonder if this is the 'Pikachu' my other selves were talking about..."
Without another moment of hesitation, he tossed it into the air. "Come on out! My first Pokémon!"
The Poké Ball opened mid-air, releasing a flash of bright light. A small, yellow creature materialized on the floor.
It had yellow fur with two brown stripes on its back, a jagged, lightning-bolt-shaped tail, and two red pouches on its cheeks. Its long ears were tipped with black. It was the well-known Electric Mouse Pokémon of the Kanto region—Pikachu!
"So, this is a Pikachu," Ash whispered, his eyes wide as if trying to permanently burn the image of his new partner into his memory.