As Ash was reminiscing, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
“Hey! What are you doing here?”
The sudden movement startled Ash.
However, he recognized the voice immediately, and his expression darkened.
“Ayumi… You’re following me again?!”
The reason he said “again” was naturally because this wasn’t the first time Ayumi had done something like this.
That girl was like a Yamper.
Somehow, she always managed to track him down.
“Hehe~ Ash Gege, you don’t want Aunt Hanako to worry, do you?” Ayumi stuck out her tongue.
“If you don’t want to get caught, you have to take me with you!”
Because Hanako and Teiko were close friends, Ayumi also knew that Hanako had forbidden Ash from taking unnecessary risks.
She had even volunteered to keep an eye on him.
“…”
Ash rolled his eyes.
“Fine. But don’t run around or touch anything without telling me first. This place can be dangerous.”
“Don’t worry, I’m very well-behaved!”
Ayumi smiled brightly and grabbed Ash’s hand.
“Let’s go!”
The two carefully ventured deeper into the jungle.
Along the way, they saw many common Pokémon, such as Rattata, Oddish, Pidgey, Tangela, Exeggcute, and others.
After passing through a dense thicket, Ash quietly said:
“We’re almost there…”
The next moment, the vegetation opened up into a bright plain.
“This Pokémon is… Kangaskhan?!”
Ayumi stared in surprise.
Kangaskhan were rare Pokémon, and most lived in protected areas.
She had only seen them in books before.
Ash smiled slightly and took out the Pokédex Professor Oak had given him.
“Kangaskhan, the Parent Pokémon. It protects its child by keeping it in its belly pouch. It will relentlessly attack anyone who harms its child.”
“Pika!”
At that moment, a familiar cry suddenly rang out.
A brilliant yellow figure shot out from among the Kangaskhan and raced toward Ash.
In the blink of an eye, the little Pokémon jumped onto him.
Ash immediately recognized it.
“Pikachu!”
“Hahaha! It’s really you!”
Ash gently caught Pikachu and rubbed its head.
This was the Pichu he had desperately protected years ago.
The same Pokémon that would eventually become his lifelong partner.
The Pikachu he had been searching for.
“It’s Pikachu! So cute!”
Ayumi’s eyes lit up as she carefully approached.
“I want to say hello too.”
“Just be careful,” Ash reminded her.
“Pikachu can be a little unpredictable.”
“Got it!”
Ayumi slowly reached out.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t quite quick enough.
Her hand accidentally brushed Pikachu’s tail.
“Pika…”
Ash’s expression changed.
“Oh no.”
“CHUUUU!”
Lightning suddenly erupted.
Crackling electricity spread through the clearing.
“Ahhh!”
“Aaah!”
A moment later, both Ash and Ayumi were sitting on the ground with their hair standing on end.
“Pika…”
Pikachu tilted its head innocently.
Ash stared at it in disbelief.
“You really haven’t changed at all…”
After recovering, Ash found an Oran Berry for Pikachu and then explained everything to Ayumi.
“So that’s why it trusts you so much…”
She looked between the two of them with a thoughtful expression.
Ash crouched down in front of Pikachu.
“Pikachu, do you want to come with me?”
He took out the old and worn Poké Ball from his pocket.
“Pika?”
Pikachu tilted its head.
“Become my partner and family. Then we’ll travel together and experience everything this world has to offer.”
“Pika…”
Pikachu shook its head.
Ash froze for a moment.
His expression dimmed slightly.
“No…?”
Ayumi looked at Pikachu carefully.
“Maybe it doesn’t want to stay inside the Poké Ball.”
The little Pokémon nodded repeatedly.
“Pika!”
Ash blinked.
Then he suddenly laughed.
“That’s all?”
He held up the Poké Ball.
“Fine. You don’t have to stay inside all the time. This can simply be your home whenever you need it.”
He patted his shoulder.
“You can ride here whenever you want.”
“Pika!”
Pikachu happily placed one paw against the Poké Ball.
A red light flashed.
The Pokémon disappeared inside.
The Poké Ball dropped onto the ground and began rocking from side to side.
Ash’s emotions rose and fell with every movement.
“Ding!”
A special system notification sounded.
The dreamlike feeling gradually transformed into genuine happiness.
He had finally fulfilled the wish he had carried for so long.
Ash picked up the Poké Ball.
It was as though his old instincts had awakened.
He spun around three times before striking a familiar pose and pointing toward the sky.
“I caught… Pikachu!!!”
Ayumi stared at him.
“It’s just a Pokémon capture. Why are you making such a huge fuss?”
Ash completely ignored her.
“Hehe… Come out, Pikachu!”
“Pika!”
The little Pokémon emerged from the Poké Ball and immediately climbed onto Ash’s shoulder.
Its movements were so natural that it seemed as though it had practiced doing so countless times before.
“From now on, please take good care of me, Pikachu.”
“Pika, Pikachu!”
After saying goodbye to the Kangaskhan mother and child, Ash and Ayumi began making their way back toward Pallet Town.
Along the way, Ash picked several Berries.
The system’s Backpack had a capacity of ten cubic meters, so whenever Ayumi wasn’t paying attention, he quietly stored some inside.
That should be enough to cover Pikachu’s meals for the next few days.
However, it seemed fate had no intention of letting them return peacefully.
“Quick! Everyone keep up!”
“If it gets away, we’ll all be punished!”
Urgent footsteps approached from somewhere ahead.
Soon, a squad of soldiers dressed in black appeared in the distance.
The large red “R” on their uniforms immediately revealed their identity.
Team Rocket.
Ayumi froze.
Ash’s expression changed.
“Quick!”
He pulled Ayumi behind a nearby bush and lowered his voice.
“Don’t make a sound. They’re Team Rocket!”
Ayumi nodded quickly.
The two remained hidden as the Team Rocket grunts hurried past.
“If we can distract them, we can slip away.”
He threw the pebble toward the opposite side of the forest.
However…
The pebble suddenly stopped in midair.
Ash froze.
“…What?”
The next moment, a small pink Pokémon appeared beside the floating pebble.
Large blue eyes.
Cat-like ears.
A long tail.
Ash’s eyes widened.
“Mew?!”
Mew held the pebble between its paws.
Then it looked directly at Ash.
A mischievous smile appeared on its face.
Ash immediately understood.
The Team Rocket grunts were probably searching for this Pokémon.
But why had it chosen to reveal itself now?
And more importantly…
Why was it holding his pebble?
Mew suddenly tossed it back.
Whoosh!
“Wait!”
Ash barely had time to react.
The pebble flew toward them.
“Ow!”
It struck Ayumi lightly on the head.
“Ah!”
Ayumi rubbed her head with a pained expression.
Ash looked at Mew in disbelief.
“You’ve got to be kidding me…”
The Team Rocket grunts immediately noticed the sound.
“Who’s there?”
“Come out!”
Ash looked toward the grunts, then toward Mew.
Mew covered its mouth, apparently delighted with the chaos it had caused.
“You’ve ruined everything!”
Ash made a quick decision.
He stood up and pointed toward the clearing.
“Are you looking for that pink Pokémon? It’s over there!”
The grunts immediately turned.
“It’s Mew!”
“Quick! Don’t let it escape!”
“Go, Ekans!”
“Koffing!”
The Team Rocket members rushed after Mew.
Ash grabbed Ayumi’s hand.
“Run!”
For a moment, Ash thought they had escaped.
He had barely taken two steps when a familiar pink figure appeared in front of him.
Mew floated cheerfully in the air.
And, somehow, it had already found another pebble.
Ash stared at it.
“No way…”
Mew threw the pebble.
Ash caught it.
“Are you seriously doing this again?!”
He tossed the pebble back.
Mew flipped through the air and sent it flying toward him again with its tail.
Clearly, Mew was having the time of its life.
Ash, however, was suffering.
Not only did he have to keep dodging Mew’s flying pebbles, but he also had to avoid the attacks of the Team Rocket grunts chasing after them.
“Ayumi, keep running!”
“I’m trying!”
The peaceful trip into the mountains had completely turned into a chaotic chase.