There were still several hours left before nightfall.
The four of them lounged inside the small wooden cabin, killing time with idle chatter.
When Ash noticed a Pokémon nearby, he instinctively pulled out his Pokédex.
Back then, he had desperately wanted to receive one of the standard starter Pokémon.
It was only due to certain… unavoidable circumstances that he'd ended up with this chubby Pikachu instead.
"Beep-beep.
Bulbasaur.
The Bulb Pokémon.
Part vegetable, part meat.
Comes with its own seasoning when grilled."
The Pokédex announced calmly.
Blue: "?"
She looked around and saw that the other three all seemed perfectly unfazed by this explanation.
Her confusion deepened.
"Uh… Ash, did your Pokédex catch a virus or something?"
"No?" Ash replied, puzzled.
"Isn't this how Pokédexes normally work?"
Now Blue really started doubting herself.
In the end, she quietly pulled out her own Pokédex.
"Beep.
Bulbasaur.
The Seed Pokémon.
One of the three starter Pokémon.
It loves sunlight, and the seed on its back grows together with its body."
Ash and the others: "?"
This time, they were the ones completely stunned.
Ash pointed at his Pikachu in disbelief.
Blue understood immediately and scanned it.
"Beep.
Pikachu.
The Mouse Pokémon.
Uses its tail to sense its surroundings.
When in danger, it releases electricity from its cheeks."
Ash frowned and raised his own Pokédex.
"Beep-beep.
Pikachu.
A common electric rodent.
Utterly ordinary.
Not worth mentioning."
Everyone: "???"
So it hadn't been their imagination all along.
There really was something wrong with Ash's Pokédex.
And unlike everyone else's Pokédex—which only went "Beep" once—
his always went "Beep-beep", like it was calling someone "little brother" before even opening its mouth.
It was offensive just by existing.
"…So Professor Oak really did give me the budget version."
Ash muttered resentfully.
The Voices in Their Heads
While chatting, Blue suddenly remembered something.
After hesitating for a while, she asked carefully:
"Hey… Ash, have you been hearing strange voices in your head lately? Like… random thoughts that don't feel like your own?"
Ash raised an eyebrow.
Something felt off.
To be fair—
He had been hearing strange things recently.
But he'd assumed it was divine guidance, proof that he was the chosen one.
"When I ran into Gary last time, he said the same thing," Blue continued.
"He said weird conversations keep popping up in his head. He can barely sleep anymore—needs three or four sleeping pills just to knock himself out. Cold sweats, nightmares, shaking hands…"
"…Though he looked pretty healthy."
Blue's expression turned grim.
Ash felt a chill run through him.
"That doesn't sound good at all."
"Gary said Pallet Town has bad feng shui," Blue said softly.
"Like all trainers from there eventually develop some terrifying, contagious mental illness."
A mental contagion?
Brock and Misty frowned.
…Honestly, it didn't sound completely implausible.
"Well, I sleep just fine," Ash shrugged.
"Maybe Gary's already terminal. No saving him."
Blue nodded seriously.
"Then that's fine."
R.I.P.
Waiting for Clefairy
That night, the four of them gathered on a grassy clearing beside the Clefairy Shop.
A few scattered fences surrounded the area, with a raised platform in the center—clearly meant for some kind of ritual or display.
They waited eagerly outside the fence, eyes glued to the platform.
They waited.
And waited.
And waited—
Until dawn.
There was no doubt about it.
Gary had played them again.
"DAMN IT!"
Blue clutched her round head and roared.
"Next time I see Gary, I'm hanging him from a tree and whipping him ten thousand times!"
"So… are we done?" Misty yawned.
"I'm not sure I can stay awake anymore."
"You go sleep," Blue said fiercely, downing an entire cup of strong tea in one gulp.
"I'm pulling an all-nighter!"
Her eyes were bloodshot, locked stubbornly onto the empty platform.
"I've already fasted for nearly seven days! A few more hours won't kill me!"
Ash: "..."
He wanted to sleep too.
But if she collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of the night…
As a fellow Pallet Town native, he'd have to carry her back.
That would seriously interfere with his Pokémon Master training schedule.
So he frowned and said,
"I'll stay with you. You two go sleep."
Brock and Misty, barely conscious, retreated to the cabin.
Soon, only the two of them remained.
Quiet Night
The wind rustled the grass.
The boy and girl sat side by side on the lawn.
Nearby, a sleeping Bulbasaur and Pikachu snored softly.
It was… strangely peaceful.
"Hey, Blue," Ash suddenly asked,
"Have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future?"
"Me?"
She shook her head lightly.
"No idea. For now, I just want to travel around~"
Her eyes carried a faint trace of uncertainty.
That airheaded expression felt oddly out of place on her.
Unlike Brock, this was Blue's first time traveling—she hadn't even started challenging Gyms.
Still, she envied Ash a little.
He might be dense, but he'd known his dream since childhood.
Even if she had no idea what a "Pokémon Master" really was.
They sat in silence, watching the platform, cursing Gary under their breath.
Midnight
Tap.
Ash suddenly felt weight on his shoulder.
He turned his head.
Blue had fallen asleep without him noticing, her head resting gently against him.
"Heh. Women really can't last."
Ash smirked internally.
I win.
I'm the true Night Watch Champion.
Moonlight bathed the clearing in pale silver, illuminating Blue's peaceful sleeping face.
Up close, she actually looked… kind of impressive.
"Someone like this would probably cry for ages if you punched her in the stomach."
He casually shadowboxed the air.
Two more hours passed.
Even Ash finally succumbed to exhaustion.
"Zzz…"
They leaned against each other, fast asleep on the grass.
Red Awakens
A few minutes later—
Ash's eyes snapped open.
The warmth vanished from his expression.
His gaze turned distant, voice low and calm.
Red had taken over.
He pushed Blue's head away coldly.
"You can get up now."
Blue trembled slightly and opened her eyes.
Same face.
Completely different presence.
Her eyes gleamed with sharp, knowing mischief.
"Heehee~"
"Didn't treasure the chance to lean on me? You'll be single forever~"
She stood and stretched her stiff arms.
A powerful aura—one that felt like absolute control—pressed down on Red.
His brows furrowed.
"So… you really came too, Blue."
In Red's original digital world, he and Blue had once traveled together.
From the moment he first saw her here, he'd suspected it.
She, like him, had realized this world was a game—and crossed over with her awakened consciousness.
Blue blinked innocently.
Then suddenly reached out—
Locked Red in a headlock, bending him forward and pulling him into her chest.
"Still pretending to be a brooding prince in front of me?"
She aggressively ruffled his hair, looking at him like she'd just watched a legendary hero turn into a salted fish.
"Oh my~ Two years on Mt. Silver and you became socially withdrawn? Tsk tsk~"
Red: "..."
Did I eat your Farfetch'd or something?
He quickly broke free and put distance between them.
Women are like Incineroar.
Blue is the apex predator of Incineroars.
Best to keep away.
Truth Revealed
After talking, they pieced everything together.
They'd crossed over on the same day.
Red was attached to Ash, occasionally hinting at his presence—
but Ash was too dense to notice.
Blue had it worse.
She'd been constantly signaling her existence—
Only for Blue (the host) to interpret it as divine revelation.
At one point she'd nearly started praying to her.
Red: "..."
That was rough.
"Oh, and Green's here too," Blue added casually.
"He's inside that kid named Gary. Honestly, their personalities match perfectly—both punchable."
"One day I'm totally putting a sack over his head and beating him senseless."
"You're covering his mouth," she said seriously.
"We'll work together and beat him until his soul leaves his body."
Blue clenched her fist.
When host-Blue talked about sack-beating, it was probably a joke.
When this Blue said it—
She meant every word.
If she wasn't satisfied, she'd probably tie rocks to him and toss him into the ocean for Sharpedo food.
Red wasn't surprised.
If he had realized he was a game character, then Green obviously would too.
In the digital world, Red and Green had both reached the absolute pinnacle—
max level, no room left to grow.
They'd stopped fighting, acknowledging each other.
But this world was different.
Here—
There was no level cap.
No true "max."
Beyond the extreme… lay another extreme.
Red could grow stronger.
Much stronger.
"…So I get to fight you again, Green."
For the first time, blazing battle intent ignited in Red's once-lifeless eyes.
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