After finishing lunch, Mark picked up his fishing rod and headed to the riverbank. He was determined to catch a Water-type Pokémon. After all, gym battles were rarely 1-on-1 — at least 2-on-2 was the standard. Relying on just a Treecko wouldn't cut it. Fortunately, the Kanto region was blessed with many excellent Water-type Pokémon: Blastoise, Starmie, Psyduck, Poliwag, Lapras, and more. Of course, rare Pokémon like Lapras or Blastoise — or even their evolved forms — were out of the question for a small river like this. Even catching something like Staryu, Psyduck, or Poliwag would be a thrill for Mark.
But…
"Magikarp… Magikarp… always Magikarp! Not a single Staryu or Psyduck to be found," Mark grumbled in frustration. It wasn't that Magikarp was a bad Pokémon — its evolved form, Gyarados, was a powerhouse feared by many. The real problem was that the Magikarp here had terrible potential and stats. It wasn't worth the effort. Even if it evolved, it wouldn't become a battle-ready giant.
Two hours passed, and dark clouds gathered ominously overhead. Mark, having caught nothing, sighed and quietly packed up his rod, his face falling as he walked away.
Just then, a large flock of Spearow appeared in the distance, darkening the sky as they sped toward the nearby waterfall, as if chasing something. Mark squinted, instantly reminded of a scene from the original story where Ash angered a flock of Spearow and was chased mercilessly. The stormy sky and timing matched perfectly. Alarmed, Mark sprinted toward the waterfall without hesitation. Even though he wasn't strong enough to fight the flock, he couldn't stand idly by.
Rushing toward the waterfall, he saw Ash frantically snatching a girl's bicycle and speeding off.
"Ah, I'm a step too late… I hope Ash is alright," Mark muttered anxiously to himself.
"Hey! Are you that guy's friend? He just stole my bicycle!" snapped a girl in hot pants with bright orange hair, standing with her hands on her hips, clearly upset. This was Misty, one of the heroines from the original story.
"Oh! I'm sorry! My name is Mark, I'm his friend. I apologize on his behalf. It was a desperate situation, as you saw — his Pikachu was seriously injured and needed urgent treatment. Please understand," Mark replied earnestly.
"Hmph, alright, fine… judging by how bad it looked, that Pikachu was definitely in trouble. I guess I'll let it go this time. But after this, make sure he returns my bike! Oh, and my name's Misty," she huffed, but there was kindness in her eyes.
"Thank you, Misty! I'll remind him! For now, I have to go after him — he's still in danger!" Mark said before dashing off toward Ash's direction. The clouds thickened further, and thunder rumbled. Though worried, Mark knew this was the perfect opportunity for Ash and Pikachu to bond and for Pikachu's awakening.
Soon enough, rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly, a blinding bolt of lightning struck from the heavens, illuminating the gloomy sky. Mark felt it deep in his bones — it had to be Pikachu's signature move, Thunderbolt! Fueled by rage, Pikachu had drawn in the power of the storm, amplifying the attack's strength to incredible levels. In one blow, more than half of the Spearow were knocked out, while the rest fled in panic.
When Mark reached the scene, he found Ash and Pikachu lying battered and unconscious on the ground. Without hesitation, Mark released his Treecko and carefully moved them to an open spot. Even though it was raining heavily, the winds were howling and lightning flashed dangerously. It would be far riskier to shelter them under trees or near rocks, where falling branches or strikes could be fatal.
Mark quickly treated their wounds with the medicines from his bag. Thanks to the short burst of rain, the storm soon began to taper off. With the skies clearing, he wrapped Ash and Pikachu with bandages to stabilize them until they woke up.
After some time, as the clouds parted and sunlight returned, Ash slowly regained consciousness. His eyes fluttered open to see Mark and Treecko busily tending to him and Pikachu.
"Thank you, Mark… if it weren't for you, Pikachu and I would have been doomed," Ash murmured weakly.
"Pika… pika!" Pikachu echoed from beside him.
"It's alright, it's nothing. We're friends after all. This is a valuable lesson — never be so reckless! You got lucky this time," Mark said with a smile.
Ash nodded, slowly sitting up, his eyes full of worry as he glanced at the still-recovering Pikachu. He realized how much his own carelessness had caused this predicament.
"It's alright! With treatment, Pikachu's healing up fast. Now, we should head to the Pokémon Center and give it the best care possible. It's also your responsibility as a trainer," Mark gently reminded him.
Ash nodded seriously and stood, preparing to leave. Just then, a golden flash lit up the sky. Mark looked up in awe — it was here!
He had thought the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh might only appear for Ash this time and not for him, but it had come. The radiant Phoenix Pokémon now soared overhead.
Ash's eyes widened as he stared at the majestic creature. He quickly pulled out his Pokédex and scanned it.
"No data… there are still many Pokémon in the world we don't know about," the Pokédex reported.
"Even the Pokédex has no information? Mark, what is that?" Ash whispered in disbelief.
"It's a legendary Pokémon — Ho-Oh. In the past, humans coveted its power and harmed it and other Pokémon, breaking its heart. That's why it withdrew from the world, disappearing from sight. But here it is now… it seems we're not among those who bring it harm," Mark explained with a solemn expression.
Inwardly, Mark activated his system to scan Ho-Oh's data, but it responded:
"Ho-Oh, one of the main deities of the Pokémon world, possessing immense and sacred power. Detailed information cannot be accessed as less than 10% of system functionality has been unlocked."
Mark's eyes lit up. Even his advanced system couldn't access this creature's full data — it was truly awe-inspiring! He glanced at Treecko and said, "Treecko, do you see that? That's the ultimate force of this world. We'll have to work hard if we want to reach that level someday."
Treecko remained silent, dazed by the sight. Though its potential was only Elite Four-level, its fighting spirit now soared infinitely.
As it turned out, Ho-Oh had been observing everything — the two boys and their Pokémon. It had seen how Pikachu's rage had erupted and how both Ash and Mark had risked themselves in the storm to save their friends. Ho-Oh, who could sense good and evil in people, was moved by their pure hearts and bravery. That's why it was willing to appear before them.
Gradually flying toward the rainbow's other end, Ho-Oh called out softly, "Farewell, kind-hearted boys… I sense that we shall meet again."
Mark didn't think of taking pictures or trying to get a reward from the Pokémon League — Ho-Oh hadn't fully accepted humanity yet. He didn't want to disturb it further. As the legendary bird's figure faded into the rainbow, Mark turned to Ash.
"Alright, Ash," he said, "Ho-Oh is still beyond our reach. For now, the priority is to take Pikachu to the Pokémon Center and get it treated."
Ash nodded. "Yeah… let's go!" With that, he set off toward Viridian City.
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