I am a Pikachu—a Pikachu who has already reached the status of a Sub-Legendary Pokémon. You might wonder where such great power comes from. To that, I can only say I was incredibly lucky to meet Ash from the very beginning. He is my master, my partner.
My first encounter with Ash was quite ordinary, mundane, really—just a meeting between a Pichu and a child. The trigger for our acquaintance was merely a common food: a tomato.
At that time, I was just wandering around looking for some berries when I unexpectedly stumbled upon a bright red object. The moment I saw it, I felt a connection; I knew it would be my lifelong favorite.
As I had imagined, the first bite of that delightful thing captivated me with its sweet and tangy flavor. It was a world apart from ordinary berries, and before I knew it, I had overindulged.
Isn't it funny, though? I stuffed myself silly simply because the tomato tasted so good! The delicious food, while enjoyable, left me feeling quite uncomfortable.
I lay on the ground, my belly so stuffed that I didn't want to move at all. It was a mix of happiness and discomfort. Just as I thought I might die from overeating, Ash appeared.
"I mean, while I appreciate that the tomatoes I grew are indeed delicious, aren't you worried you might burst from eating so much...?"
His voice held a tone of helplessness, yet it wasn't scolding. I wished to apologize, but I felt far too bloated to do so.
"Pika..."
"You really shouldn't talk right now. I bet you're feeling quite uncomfortable after eating so much."
He was right. I could only nod with my stuffed belly, and then he picked me up.
"Fortunately, I have some stomach medicine at home... just bear with it for a moment."
"Pika..."
Though I didn't know what stomach medicine was, I could feel his kindness, so I didn't protest. He then took me to his house, where he gave me some food and water. After a while, I felt better. Since he had placed me on a small bed, I ended up falling asleep due to the comfort.
When I woke up, the uncomfortable feeling of being too full had finally vanished. I noticed a gentle human female smiling at me. "You're awake? Just remember not to eat so much next time, okay? You're not the first one Ash has brought back after overeating."
Feeling quite embarrassed about having stolen someone else's food and now being cared for made me feel guilty. But right now, I was more eager to meet the person who had helped me. With my anxious gestures, the human female understood my request.
"Are you looking for Ash? He should be checking on his tomatoes right now—the very food you ate. It seems that Ash's attempt at growing them is going well; everyone seems to like them."
"Pika?"
"Everyone?" I didn't understand what she meant by everyone, but I was primarily eager to find that person who saved me. The human female seemed to grasp my feelings and carried me to look for him.
"Ash, Pikachu is awake!"
"Oh, Pikachu is awake? Hey! Pidgey, didn't I tell you not to eat anything that isn't ripe? That could kill you!"
So this is Ash, my master. His name was Ash, and yet he was quite peculiar. Even though Pokémon had taken his food, he wasn't upset at all—he just warned them not to eat unripe food.
"You're awake, Pikachu! Next time, don't overeat like that. Otherwise, you might feel awful again. Oh, by the way, I'm Ash—the one who grew the tomatoes that you stole!"
This was my first encounter with Ash: a silly incident of stealing food leading to a fateful meeting with the person who saved me.
After that, I became a frequent visitor at Ash's home, always seeking him out. Eventually, I even became his Pokémon. That's right. After he bought his first Poké Ball, I touched it myself.
"Is that so? Then from now on, we are partners, Pikachu. My training can be pretty intense."
Training wasn't scary at all. Although it was tiring, Ash never skimped on taking care of me. Under such circumstances, more Pokémon formed a bond with Ash. All the Pokémon he cared for willingly accepted his training. Later, Ash obtained his second Pokémon, Meowth, and I also witnessed Ash train the once-unpopular Magikarp into a Gyarados and help the overlooked Feebas evolve into a Milotic. I watched as Ash trained countless friends to become Champions and saw these Champion Pokémon touch Ash's Poké Balls willingly.
Ash didn't often capture Pokémon through battles. He didn't need to. He really didn't need to—we had long been "defeated" by him through years of sincere affection.
As Ash's first Pokémon, I became a part of his journey, scaling the heights of Champions. With his unique moves, I managed to defeat the Giant Dragonite and stepped into Sub-Legendary status. Though that was partly due to Giant Dragonite's hidden injuries, I at least proved Ash's ability.
Ash never cared about the strength of the Pokémon; as long as they were willing to follow him, he would never abandon his Pokémon. He always has a soft spot for Zigzagoon, who, due to a head injury, seems a bit slow-witted. But Ash never abandoned it; he even found ways to help it recover. Nurse Joy mentioned something about it being unable to evolve. Yet at that time, Ash just smiled, holding it close, and took it with him wherever he went. It wasn't until he had to leave Hoenn that he allowed Zigzagoon and Mightyena to help Professor Birch watch the house.
Perhaps this is why we love Ash.
I am a Pikachu, a Pikachu who has stepped into Sub-Legendary status. I am so glad to have met you and to be with you, Ash.