After lunch, Tianlin picked up his fishing rod and sat by the river, hoping to catch a Water-type Pokémon.
Gym battles were usually at least 2-on-2—having only Treecko wasn’t enough.
There were plenty of notable Water-types in Kanto: Blastoise, Starmie, Golduck, Poliwrath, Lapras…
Of course, rare Pokémon like Lapras or starter lines weren’t something he expected to fish up here.
He would’ve been perfectly satisfied with Staryu, Psyduck, or Poliwag.
But—
“Magikarp… Magikarp… still Magikarp!
Not a single Staryu or Psyduck!” Tianlin groaned.
It wasn’t that Magikarp was useless—its evolution, Gyarados, was incredibly powerful.
The problem was that the Magikarp here had terrible aptitude and low potential.
Even if they evolved, they wouldn’t be strong.
Two hours passed.
Dark clouds gathered overhead.
With nothing to show for it, Tianlin packed up and left, disappointed.
At that moment, a dark mass swept across the sky toward a nearby waterfall.
Tianlin looked closely.
A flock of Spearow.
He immediately recalled the original storyline—Ash Ketchum angering a Spearow flock and being chased.
Judging by the storm clouds, the timing was spot on.
“Not good…”
He sprinted toward the waterfall.
Even if he knew Ash survived in the story, this was reality—he couldn’t take chances.
As he ran, he saw Ash rushing off on a bicycle—borrowed (stolen) from a girl.
“Still too late… I hope he’s okay,” Tianlin muttered.
“Hey!
Are you that guy’s friend?
He just stole my bike!” a girl snapped.
Tianlin turned.
Orange hair, fiery attitude—Misty.
“Sorry, I’m Tianlin.
I’m his friend—I apologize.
It was an emergency.
His Pikachu was badly injured and needed urgent care,” he explained.
Misty sighed.
“Fine… that Pikachu did look really hurt.
I’ll let it go for now—but make sure he returns my bike.”
“I will.
Thanks.
I need to catch up to him—he’s still in danger,” Tianlin said before running off again.
Thunder roared.
Rain poured.
Then—
A blinding bolt of lightning split the sky.
Tianlin immediately recognized it—Thunderbolt.
But this one was extraordinary.
Fueled by emotion, amplified by the storm itself, it wiped out most of the Spearow flock in a single strike.
The rest fled in panic.
When Tianlin arrived, Ash and Pikachu lay unconscious, covered in injuries.
“Treecko, come out!”
With Treecko’s help, Tianlin moved them to an open area.
In such weather, staying away from trees and cliffs was safer than seeking shelter.
He treated their wounds with medicine from his backpack.
As the rain subsided, he bandaged them properly.
When the sky finally cleared, Ash and Pikachu slowly woke up.
The first thing they saw was Tianlin and Treecko taking care of them.
“Thanks, Tianlin… without you, we’d be in serious trouble,” Ash said weakly.
“Pika…” Pikachu echoed.
“It’s nothing—we’re friends,” Tianlin replied.
“But take this as a lesson.
Don’t act recklessly.
You were lucky.”
Ash nodded, guilt in his eyes as he looked at Pikachu.
“We should head to a Pokémon Center,” Tianlin added.
“That’s your responsibility as a Trainer.”
Ash stood up, determined.
At that moment—
A golden light flashed across the sky.
Tianlin looked up.
It still came…
Even with him present, nothing had changed.
High above them soared a radiant, divine Pokémon—
Ho-Oh.
Ash stared in awe and scanned it with his Pokédex.
“No data available.
There are still many unknown Pokémon in this world.”
“Even the Pokédex doesn’t know it… Tianlin, what is that?” Ash asked.
“That is a Legendary Pokémon—Ho-Oh,” Tianlin said solemnly.
“Long ago, humans coveted its power and harmed it and other Pokémon.
Disheartened, it disappeared from the world.
For it to appear now… it means we aren’t the kind of humans it dislikes.”
At the same time, Tianlin quietly used his system to scan it—
Result: Unable to analyze.”Ho-Oh — one of the world’s primary deities.
Possesses immense and sacred power.
Current system access insufficient for further data.”
Even the system couldn’t measure it.
Tianlin turned to Treecko.
“Do you see that?
That’s the pinnacle of power in this world.
That’s what we’re aiming for.”
Treecko stood silently, eyes filled with determination.
High above, Ho-Oh had seen everything.
If Pikachu hadn’t unleashed that attack, it would have intervened.
Ash risking himself to protect Pikachu, and Tianlin braving the storm to save his friend—both had moved it.
Humans were not all the same.
These two possessed pure hearts.
That was why it chose to appear.
Slowly, it flew toward the end of the rainbow.
We will meet again… kind-hearted youths.
Tianlin didn’t try to take photos or chase rewards.
Ho-Oh hadn’t fully accepted humanity yet—it was better not to disturb it.
As its figure faded into the rainbow, Tianlin turned to Ash.
“Alright, Ho-Oh is still far beyond us.
Right now, we need to get Pikachu treated.”
Ash nodded.
“Yeah—let’s go.”
Together, they ran toward Viridian City.