"Come on out, Pidgey."
Red released his newest partner. The moment it materialized, the golden Pidgey scrambled toward him, its bravado completely gone, trying to burrow into his arms for safety. The sheer ferocity of Charmander's Outrage had clearly left a lasting impression.
"Wooo..." Charmander scratched the side of its face, looking sheepish. It hadn't meant to terrify its new teammate so thoroughly.
"Alright, alright, Charmander didn't mean to," Red soothed, stroking the trembling Pidgey. He took a healing spray and a burn salve from his pack and began to treat its scorched wing. The Pidgey cried out at the initial sting, but under Red's gentle touch, it soon relaxed, enjoying the cool, soothing sensation. Once healed, it even chirped a tentative greeting to Charmander, a silent acknowledgment that they were now on the same side.
As Red tended to his new Pokémon, the system's voice chimed in his mind.
[Ding! Identify Pokémon: Pidgey. Overlay with Tangled Feet or Big Pecks ability?]
Red considered his options. Tangled Feet, which boosted evasion while confused, seemed to conflict with the perfect accuracy granted by Pidgey's natural Keen Eye ability. Big Pecks, however, which prevented its Defense from being lowered, offered crucial stability in battle.
(Overlay with Big Pecks,) he decided.
A subtle change rippled through the Pidgey. It puffed out its chest, finding its pectoral muscles felt inexplicably stronger and denser. The newfound confidence made it puff up proudly. It turned to Charmander and chirped a sharp, challenging call, demanding a rematch.
Charmander simply shook its head with a weary sigh, turned its back on the challenge, and found a sunny rock to lie on, soaking up the warmth.
Slighted but undeterred, the Pidgey hopped back into Red's arms. It was intelligent; it understood that its sudden boost in strength had come from Red's intervention. It looked up at him with pure adoration, sensing the immense power radiating from its new trainer—a strength it wanted to align with. It was determined to become the strongest Flying-type in the world, and it knew Red was the key.
After a short rest, Red recalled his Pokémon and continued on his way. He soon found the perfect spot: a crystal-clear lake nestled in a quiet clearing, surrounded by lush greenery. It was an idyllic place to make camp.
He set down his travel pack. It was a standard-issue League model, though "standard" was a humble term for what was essentially portable spatial technology. Red's was a newer prototype, a gift from the Professor, capable of holding twenty-five cubic meters of supplies. He could fit a small campsite's worth of gear inside without it feeling heavy or crowded.
"Everyone, come out."
Red tossed four Poké Balls. Beedrill, Charmander, Onix, and the golden Pidgey all appeared on the open ground.
Beedrill and Onix immediately turned their attention to the newcomer, their gazes curious and intense. The Pidgey, empowered by its new ability, stood its ground, puffing out its chest defiantly. But Beedrill's sharp eyes caught the subtle, tell-tale tremor in its legs.
"Alright, you two, stop looking at it like you're interrogating a prisoner," Red said with a helpless smile. "Shiny Pokémon are rare, but it's still your teammate."
He took out a fishing rod, cast a line into the lake, and sat back, biting into a sandwich. Behind him, his Pokémon began to eat the custom-blended food he'd prepared. Charmander and Pidgey immediately fell into a frantic eating contest, while Beedrill and Onix watched the two "children" with amused expressions.
At that very same moment, back in Pallet Town, a boy in blue pajamas was sprinting desperately toward the Oak Laboratory.
"Seriously?! Why didn't Mom or Red wake me up?!" Ash Ketchum panted, his heart hammering against his ribs. "My starter Pokémon... you have to wait for me!"
He burst through the crowd of well-wishers and, in his haste, slammed directly into Gary Oak, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
"What the—! I thought it was some clumsy oaf, but it's just you, Ashy-boy!" Gary snapped, scrambling to his feet and dusting himself off. He was still stinging from his one-sided defeat at the hands of Red's Charmander and was more than happy to take out his frustration on his other rival.
"Ash! Gary! Are they fighting again?" a girl's voice sighed. It was Leaf. Seeing another argument brewing, she shook her head with a helpless smile and quietly slipped away to begin her own journey on Route 1.
"I can't believe you're late on the most important day of your life, Ash," Gary taunted, juggling his new Squirtle's Poké Ball on his fingertip. "I've already got my first Pokémon!"
The sight made Ash's stomach clench with envy. "Which one did you pick, Gary?" he asked, scratching his head sheepishly.
"Like I'd tell you," Gary said with a haughty sniff. He snapped his fingers, and his personal cheerleading squad appeared, chanting his name. "Gary, Gary, he's our man! If he can't do it, no one can!"
"Thank you, thank you, citizens of Pallet Town!" Gary declared, raising his hands to the cheering crowd. "I, Gary Oak, will become the greatest Pokémon Master and bring honor to our hometown!"
(He definitely chose Squirtle,) Ash muttered to himself. Years of having a super-smart brother around had rubbed off on him; he knew Gary would pick the Pokémon with a type advantage over Red's Charmander.
"Well now, isn't this Ash?" Professor Oak said, stepping out of the lab.
"Professor! My Pokémon! Where is it?" Ash asked, a hopeful grin plastered on his face.
"Ah, your Pokémon..." the Professor trailed off, his gaze shifting awkwardly. "Well, you see, there were four of you this year, and I only applied for three starters from the League..."
He led the crestfallen boy inside. Ash's eyes immediately went to the display, but the slots for Charmander and Squirtle were empty. He lunged for the last one, the Poké Ball marked with a leaf symbol. It was empty, too.
"Bulbasaur was chosen by Leaf just a little while ago," the Professor explained gently.
"Then... then what about me?" Ash's voice cracked, his lifelong dream crumbling before his eyes.
"Actually..." Professor Oak said, a nervous edge to his voice. "There is... one other Pokémon. But it has a bit of a... difficult personality."
He pressed a button on the console. A hidden compartment opened, and a single Poké Ball rose into view, marked with a yellow lightning bolt.
Ash didn't hesitate. He reached out, his fingers closing around the cool metal. A jolt of static seemed to crackle in the air.
A fateful encounter had just begun.
***********
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