Soon, Professor Oak led a yellow-furred little rodent over to Ash.
“This is Pikachu.
However, this Pokémon has a rather strange personality.
It doesn’t like going inside its Poké Ball, and most importantly, it doesn’t really listen to commands.”
Professor Oak scratched his head with a helpless expression.
“To be honest, this Pikachu’s personality is far too unusual.
It’s very unsuitable for a rookie Trainer as a starter Pokémon.”
“Ash, are you sure you want to take this Pikachu as your starter Pokémon?”
Professor Oak asked Ash again, still uncertain.
When Pikachu heard Professor Oak belittling it like this, its brows immediately furrowed.
It raised its head to look at Professor Oak, and the electric sacs on its cheeks began to crackle with electricity.
“Pika, Pikachu!”
Pikachu cried out loudly, looking as though it was ready to release electricity at any moment.
The sight made Professor Oak’s scalp tingle.
He immediately took a step back, putting distance between himself and Pikachu.
Just as Pikachu was about to release electricity and teach Professor Oak, the guy who had badmouthed it, along with this brat in front of it who had no idea how high the sky was and wanted it as his starter Pokémon, a lesson, Ash spoke.
“No, Professor Oak.
I choose Pikachu.”
Ash walked forward, crouched down in front of Pikachu, and stretched out his arm.
“Pikachu, from now on, we’re partners.
I’ll definitely protect you.”
After saying that, Ash did not fear being shocked.
He reached out and gently pinched the electric sacs on Pikachu’s cheeks.
When he communicated with Professor Ash from the future yesterday, he had not merely learned about the other party’s obsession.
At the same time, the future Professor Ash had also taught Ash some knowledge about Pikachu.
For example, the electric sacs on its cheeks were Pikachu’s sensitive spots.
As long as they were touched, Pikachu would feel comfortable.
Sure enough, in the next second, Pikachu let out a comfortable little moan.
“Pika…”
Pikachu could not help trembling all over, and its favorable impression of Ash increased quite a bit.
The future Professor Ash had also once owned a Pikachu.
Although it was a different parallel world, perhaps the Pikachu of both parallel worlds shared the same preferences.
Ash took out a sandwich he had brought from home, along with a bottle of ketchup.
“This is a sandwich my mom made, and this is tangy ketchup.
They taste really good together.” Ash squeezed the ketchup onto the sandwich.
A faint, sour tomato scent spread through the air.
Pikachu’s nose twitched.
It just so happened that it had not had time to eat breakfast yet.
The fragrant food in front of it immediately stirred its appetite.
Just as Pikachu reached out to take the sandwich with ketchup on it, a sly smile flashed in Ash’s eyes, and he pulled the sandwich back.
Ash chuckled.
“If you want to eat it, then you have to become my Pokémon and listen to me.”
With delicious food in front of it, Pikachu nodded in agreement without the slightest hesitation.
What dignity?
How could that be more important than good food?
“Pika!”
Seeing Pikachu agree, Ash handed over the sandwich in his hand.
Pikachu immediately took the sandwich and began eating it in big bites.
The sweet and sour flavor of the ketchup bloomed across its taste buds, leaving Pikachu with a satisfied expression.
As for Ash, he reached out without any restraint and began rubbing Pikachu’s head.
Pikachu raised its head and glanced at Ash.
In the end, it decided to give the delicious food some face and allowed him to pet it.
Standing to the side, Professor Oak watched this scene, unable to hide the surprise in his heart.
“I really didn’t expect this child Ash to have such talent.”
“This Pikachu’s personality is one even I can’t figure out.
Normally, let alone petting it like this, it won’t even let me touch it.”
After his surprise passed, Professor Oak went and brought over a Trainer kit.
“This is Pikachu’s Poké Ball, along with some empty Poké Balls and a Pokédex that can prove your identity and look up information on Pokémon.”
Ash put away the Trainer kit.
Then he turned around, picked up Pikachu, and walked toward the outside of the laboratory.
“Thank you, Professor Oak.
We’ll be setting off on our journey now.”
Professor Oak was dumbfounded.
“In such a hurry?”
“Time waits for no one.
I have a very important promise with a friend,” Ash said with a wave of his hand, leaving without looking back.
Ash headed straight out of Pallet Town.
Just as Ash was about to leave Pallet Town, a figure came into view.
It was his mother, Delia.
“Ash, honestly.
You were about to go out traveling without even saying anything?” Delia could not help complaining.
“This is the backpack I prepared for you.
Inside are supplies for your journey, as well as a change of clothes.”
“Oh, right.
I also bought you a new pair of shoes.
Once you put them on, you’ll be able to run even faster.”
…
There was a forest before reaching Viridian City.
Many Bug-type and Flying-type Pokémon lived there.
When Ash stepped into this forest, he could not help feeling a chill.
In order to fulfill Professor Ash’s obsession, Ash had made some plans.
If a Trainer could not properly protect their own Pokémon, it could only mean one thing: they were not strong enough.
Therefore, Ash had already made a decision.
He would defeat at least ten Trainers in the forest before leaving the forest and heading to Viridian City to face the people who had stolen Professor Ash’s Pikachu in the parallel world.
However, before battling Trainers, Ash first needed to prepare.
“Pikachu, what moves do you know right now?”
Ash turned to look at Pikachu.
“Pika?”
Pikachu tilted its head, not knowing how to answer.
Just as Ash was feeling puzzled, a string of information appeared in front of him.
[Name: Pikachu]
[Gender: Male]
[Type: Electric]
[Ability: Static (Has a chance to inflict paralysis on the opponent when making contact with them)]
[Moves: Growl (Beginner), Thunder Shock (Beginner)]
After seeing this information, Ash nodded thoughtfully.
Professor Ash had introduced the functions of this information panel to Ash before.
The words in parentheses after a move represented proficiency.
In other words, the two moves Pikachu currently knew were only at the most basic beginner level.
“Good.
First, we’ll find suitable opponents, defeat them, and improve your move proficiency.” Ash made his decision.
He brought Pikachu with him and began searching around the forest.
There was nothing especially abundant in the forest, except for Bug-type Pokémon.
Before they had even walked far, Ash encountered a Weedle.
It was an earth-yellow bug roughly the length of an arm.
Its most distinctive feature was the extremely sharp horn on its head.
“Pikachu, use Growl first,” Ash commanded with a wave of his hand.
Pikachu immediately jumped in front of Weedle and used Growl.
“Pika, Pikachu!”
[You, come here!]
Pikachu used Taunt.
Taunt was effective.
“Jiji!”
Weedle flew into a rage and spat a Poison Sting at Pikachu, frightening Pikachu into hurriedly rolling away to dodge.
“Don’t panic.
Next, use Thunder Shock!” Ash continued giving commands.
Pikachu nodded slightly, and the electric sacs on its cheeks released a current.
Yellow lightning tore through the air.
Weedle had no time to react before it was struck.
The powerful Thunder Shock electrocuted Weedle until it was charred on the outside and tender on the inside.
“Great, now’s the chance!
Go, Poké Ball!”
Ash took out an empty Poké Ball and threw it hard at Weedle.
With a bang, Weedle’s head was smashed with a large bump.
Then it was sucked into the Poké Ball.