"Champion? That's… quite a bit of confidence," Brock said with a sigh of admiration.
"Alright! I've decided—I'm going to challenge him!"
Ash suddenly jumped up from his seat, pointing passionately at the TV screen, eyes blazing.
Three black lines slid down Dawn's face.
"Hey—Pikachu and the others are still inside getting treated, you know…"
"Oh… right."
Ash scratched his head awkwardly, but his gaze remained fixed on the image of Peter, burning it into his memory.
Just then, a slightly impatient voice came from outside the door.
"Hey. You done gathering three Pokémon yet?"
Ash turned around.
A purple-haired boy stood there with his hands in his pockets.
It was the rival whose philosophy stood in complete opposition to his own—Paul.
At that moment, Nurse Joy came out carrying a tray of Poké Balls, with a fully recovered Pikachu hopping alongside her.
"Your Pokémon are all fully healed now. Please be more careful next time."
Ash looked straight at Paul.
"I'll prove it to you—your way is wrong! The true meaning of Pokémon is growth!"
Paul rolled his eyes.
"Tch… anyone can say pretty words. Just like that guy on TV."
Clearly, he had heard Peter's interview as well.
Still… that Buneary from earlier gave him an oddly familiar feeling.
…
Meanwhile, Peter was drenched in sweat as he finally shook off the overly enthusiastic reporter. He jumped onto his bike and sped away in a cloud of dust.
She'd practically started asking about marriage and dating just now…
The image of a certain pink-haired, soft-and-bouncy cow-like Gym Leader flashed through his mind. Peter's face heated up instantly, and he pedaled even harder to escape.
Heading straight south, Peter arrived at Route 202.
His plan was simple—first, confirm exactly where this world's timeline currently stood. That way, he could make full use of the plot knowledge from his previous life to maximize his growth.
All he had to do was visit Professor Rowan's Laboratory in Sandgem Town. Just asking when Dawn planned to start her journey would give him the answer.
And while he was at it, he could register as an official Trainer.
Riding like the wind, Peter ignored the shouts of the Youngsters by the roadside and shot straight down the highway toward Sandgem Town.
After days of training, Buneary had reached level 17, while Smoliv had risen to level 14. Early-stage levels were easier to gain, and with steady supplies of Moomoo Milk and Pokéblocks, this growth rate wasn't surprising at all.
Before long, a sandy little town came into view.
Sandgem Town, nestled beside the sea, was filled with the refreshing scent of ocean breeze.
From afar, Peter spotted a distinctive domed tower.
That was the ecological garden of Professor Rowan's lab. Nearby, windmills generated electricity, and a low marble wall surrounded the grounds, giving the place a faintly European feel.
"So this must be it…"
Peter suppressed his excitement and approached the entrance.
Before he could knock, the sounds of fierce impacts and shouted commands rang out from inside.
"Aipom—Focus Punch!"
"Chimchar—Flame Wheel!"
Peter froze.
Without a second thought, he put away his bike, vaulted over the low wall, and rushed into the laboratory's battle arena.
Sure enough—
A fated confrontation was unfolding.
This was already the second match, following Ash's loss in the opening Starly mirror battle. Aipom was facing off against Chimchar.
And the fight had reached its final moments.
Ash's eyes were locked on the spinning Flame Wheel barreling toward Aipom. Just as it was about to collide with the charging Pokémon, he shouted:
"Now! Jump and dodge it!"
Aipom planted one hand on the ground and flipped over the Flame Wheel. At the same time, the fully charged Focus Punch stored in its tail came crashing down like a reverse overhead kick, smashing into Chimchar's back and instantly ending the second match.
The score was now 1–1.
"As expected… legendary techniques like 'Dodge it!', 'Hang in there!', 'Get back up!', and 'Now's your chance!' really are universal," Peter muttered, clicking his tongue in admiration.
Jokes aside, Ash's timing control truly lived up to his track record—
Top 16 in the Indigo League, honorary Trainer of the Orange League, Top 8 in both the Johto and Hoenn Leagues.
That said… his tactics were still a complete reckless.
But then again—
If he wasn't reckless, he wouldn't be Ash.
Perhaps it was precisely that unique blend of passion, fighting spirit, and stubborn persistence that made Ash so unforgettable.
Peter continued watching. The rest of the match played out just like the original story.
In the final battle between their aces, Paul's Electabuzz fell just half a second after Pikachu—thanks to Pikachu's signature generosity in battle.
A narrow victory… or so it seemed.
"Both Pokémon have lost the ability to battle. This match is declared a draw!"
Brock announced as the referee.
"So amazing… even though it's a draw, both sides were incredible," Dawn said, eyes sparkling.
"No. Pikachu went down first," Ash said, lifting his partner gently. He looked up at Paul.
"I lost."
"Hmph… a result like this doesn't deserve to be called a win."
Paul casually released the Starly he had just caught.
"You released it again?!" Ash glared at him angrily.
"A Starly of that caliber is a waste to keep. I'll just catch a stronger one later."
"What did you say?!"
Ash was still fuming, but Paul ignored him completely. After thanking Professor Rowan, he turned to leave.
As he did, he came face to face with Peter, who was holding Smoliv.
Paul frowned slightly, staring at him for a long moment, then brushed past without a word.
"Hey—your name's Paul, right?"
Peter's voice came from behind.
Paul stopped and turned around.
"Sometimes… trying to understand how Pokémon feel isn't such a bad thing," Peter said, wearing his signature smile.
"After all… they really like you."
"Tch. I don't need a lecture from you."
Paul scoffed and continued walking.
Watching his back, Peter called out again:
"Next time we meet—how about a battle?"
Right now, there was no way Peter could compete with someone who had already traveled through two regions. Just Electabuzz alone was nearing level forty—the gap was far too large.
"…"
Paul didn't stop. He didn't answer either.
He simply raised a hand in acknowledgment.
Peter smiled faintly.
Setting aside protagonist privileges, Paul truly was something special. Peter genuinely looked forward to that future clash.
Just then, Dawn—wearing her ultra-short skirt—walked over, eyes fixed on Peter.
"Huh? Aren't you… that guy who said he was going to become Champion?"
"Huh?"
Peter froze.
Only then did it hit him—
He'd been on TV.
Which meant… that speech had already been broadcast?
Peter's mouth twitched.
That wavy-haired reporter never told him it would actually air!
As he was silently dying of secondhand embarrassment, Professor Rowan spoke up.
"Hello there. May I ask what brings you to my laboratory?"
"Uh… hello, Professor. This is our first meeting. My name is Peter, from Goldenrod City."
He scratched his head awkwardly.
"I'm sorry—I heard battle noises and kind of… came in without permission, haha…"
"Mi-kyu~"
Buneary copied him, lowering its head apologetically.
The Soothe Bell around its neck chimed softly, its clear sound ringing through the air.