One week later, Ash arrived at Professor Oak’s lab with his bag on his back, beating everyone else there.
“Ash!
You’re here early!”
Professor Oak walked out with a smile, holding a Pokédex and six brand-new Poké Balls.
Ash accepted them, then returned Pikachu, Kangaskhan, Eevee, Dratini, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander to their Poké Balls.
He had finally gathered all three starters.
A year ago, he had stayed at a Pokémon sanctuary with Bulbasaur and helped it protect its injured companions.
Later, during a torrential downpour in the mountains, he had encountered a wild Charmander sheltering inside a cave.
This wasn’t the Charmander that Damian had abandoned.
It was simply a lonely wild Charmander that happened to get caught in the storm.
Then, on a drizzly evening, Ash had crouched at a street corner and wiped the tears from an abandoned Squirtle’s eyes.
He could still remember every one of those encounters clearly.
Now, all of those Pokémon were his companions.
“Except Kangaskhan.
She’ll stay home to keep Mom company…”
Ash clipped the final Poké Ball to his waist and smiled.
The door opened again.
Gary walked in, his spiky hair as noticeable as ever.
He wore a smug grin.
He picked up the Poké Ball containing Squirtle, the Pokémon he had chosen as his starter.
Then he looked at Ash.
“See you, Ash.
I hope you can at least manage to collect eight Gym Badges!”
With that, Gary turned and headed for the door with Squirtle.
“Seriously, what a kid.”
Ash shook his head and stroked Pikachu and Eevee on the head.
When the door opened for the third time, Leaf and Green walked in.
Leaf’s attention immediately went to Bulbasaur.
She crouched down, and Bulbasaur reached out to touch her fingertip.
“You still beat me to it,” Leaf said, giving Ash a wink.
Green, meanwhile, was carrying a blue Pokémon Egg that shimmered with a watery glow.
Her braid swayed behind her as she hurried over, barely able to contain her excitement.
“Ash!
Look!”
Green practically bounced in front of him.
Fine ripples spread across the surface of the Egg in her arms, and a tiny curled-up figure could faintly be seen inside.
She carefully held the Egg as she remembered what had happened a few days earlier, when Ash had somehow produced this Squirtle Egg.
She had been so excited that she had jumped up and kissed him on the cheek.
Without the system’s cheat function, how else could he have obtained such a perfect Pokémon Egg?
After all, in the original story, Green had set out with Squirtle.
But Gary was Professor Oak’s grandson, so he naturally had the chance to arrive before Green and choose Squirtle first.
So Ash had exchanged for a Squirtle Egg for Green.
He had also used the system’s cheat function to maximize its IVs and give it ideal EVs, Nature, and Ability.
At that moment, the Egg began trembling.
Blue light shone through tiny cracks in the shell, drawing Pikachu and Eevee closer in curiosity.
“It’s hatching!” Leaf exclaimed.
Green held her breath as pieces of shell broke away.
A newly hatched Squirtle poked its head out.
The moment its round eyes met hers, it gave a soft cry.
“Squirtle.”
“So cute!”
Green’s eyes grew misty as she carefully held the hatchling in her arms.
Sunlight streamed through the lab’s glass windows and fell across the floor.
Leaf and Green stood side by side, one stroking Bulbasaur while the other played with her newly hatched Squirtle.
Leaf and Green had originally invited Ash to travel with them.
But Ash politely turned them down.
His journey would probably be different from theirs.
Leaf and Green were still a little disappointed, but in the end, the two girls held hands and set off together.
Ash watched them disappear into the distance and felt a little reluctant to see them go.
But the feeling soon passed, and he turned toward home.
He left Kangaskhan there to keep his mother company.
Over the years, Ash had discovered that Delia and Kangaskhan’s mother had become very close.
The two mothers got along extremely well.
As the sun began to set, Ash shouldered his pack and set off on his own adventure with Pikachu, Eevee, Dratini, and the three starters.
As he officially began his journey as a Trainer, another system notification appeared.
[Congratulations, host, on becoming a Trainer.
You have received the following rewards: Pokémon Data Scoute and Ability Stacking Cheat Code.]
The device looked like a compact scouter, with a small display positioned in front of one eye.
[Pokémon Data Scouter: Scans a Pokémon and displays all of its data.]
[Ability Stacking Cheat Code: Allows a Pokémon to gain an additional Ability without replacing its original Ability.]
He hooked the scouter over his left ear and adjusted the display in front of his eye.
Then he tested it on Pikachu and Eevee.
A 3D image of Pikachu appeared first.
Then its information was displayed.
[Pokémon: Pikachu]
[Gender: Male]
[Type: Electric]
[Introduction: The Mouse Pokémon and the evolved form of Pichu.
It has small electric sacs on both cheeks and releases electricity when it senses danger.]
[Base Stat Total: 430]
[Ability: Static — Its body carries static electricity, which may paralyze opponents that make contact with it.]
[Hidden Ability: Lightning Rod — Draws Electric-type moves to itself.
It takes no damage from them and instead raises its Special Attack.]
[Current Strength: Late Gym Level]
[Potential: ???]
[Moves: Growl; Thunder Shock; Tail Whip; Quick Attack; Double Kick; Double Team; Thunder Wave; Light Screen; Thunderbolt; Slam; Agility; Rain Dance; Thunder; Thunder Punch; Headbutt; Dig; Reflect; Protect; Iron Tail; Grass Knot; Surf; Charge Beam]
[Status: Healthy]
Beside the information was a hexagonal chart showing Pikachu’s IV distribution.
Ash had already modified Pikachu’s IVs with a cheat code.
Every IV was at its maximum value, forming a perfect hexagon.
Then Eevee’s information appeared.
[Pokémon: Eevee]
[Gender: Female]
[Type: Normal]
[Ability: Adaptability — Increases the power of moves that match the user’s type.]
[Hidden Ability: Protean — Changes the user’s type to match the move it uses.]
[Introduction: The Evolution Pokémon.
Due to its unstable genetic makeup, it has many possible evolutions, though its population is very small.]
[Base Stat Total: 435]
[Current Strength: Late Gym Level]
[Potential: ???]
[Moves: Tackle; Growl; Tail Whip; Quick Attack; Double Kick; Sand Attack; Bite; Swift; Take Down; Double-Edge; Helping Hand; Protect; Iron Tail; Shadow Ball; Substitute; Dig; Bouncy Bubble; Buzzy Buzz; Sizzly Slide; Sappy Seed; Freezy Frost; Sparkly Swirl]
[Status: Healthy]
When Ash saw the word “Protean,” he froze.
That was an Ability that should never appear on an Eevee.
It seemed his Eevee still had plenty of secrets.