Chapter 4: The Greatest Fear in Life is Having No Dreams

Red casually pulled Ash’s Pokédex from his pocket and scanned the Pikachu in front of him.

“Pikachu, moves: Tackle, Thundershock, Growl, Tail Whip.”

Very plain and simple moves.

Then, he scanned his own round-faced Pikachu.

“Pikachu, moves: Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Thunder, Volt Tackle, Extreme Speed.”

The string of move names left Misty, who was standing nearby, completely stunned.

A move like “Thunder” was something only high-level Pokémon could learn.

And as for “Volt Tackle” and “Extreme Speed” later on, she hadn’t even heard of them.

A novice trainer, and he just happened to pick up a max-level Pikachu?!

Or was this Pokédex broken?

Seeing that Red really seemed intent on battling them, Team Rocket also threw out two Poké Balls to respond.

“Koffing, the Poison Gas Pokémon. Kind-hearted and very cute.”

“Ekans, the Snake Pokémon. Kind-hearted and even cuter.”

The Pokédex broadcasted automatically once again.

Misty: “...”

Sure enough, this Pokédex was water-damaged.

“Pika!”

Ash’s Pikachu raised its head and chirped, looking eager to jump into the fray.

Red: “...”

He didn’t choose to let it fight; after all, this was the Pikachu belonging to the boy named Ash, not his own.

Besides, he guessed that this Pikachu hadn’t experienced its first battle yet. He didn’t want to take away such a memorable first time; he’d leave that to its original owner.

“Get ready to battle, Pikachu!”

“Pika!”

Following Red’s low command, the slightly sturdier, round-faced Pikachu beside him had already instinctively assumed a charging stance, its eyes burning as it stared at the Team Rocket trio.

In an instant, a chill—as if they were being locked onto by an apex predator—made the three of them shudder.

Their hair stood on end, and they couldn't help but take a step back.

“Damn it, how is an electric mouse this scary?”

Jessie shook her head and launched the first attack.

“It’s just a bluff! Ekans, use Bite!”

“Pikachu, Quick Attack.”

After Red finished speaking, he reminded Ash’s Pikachu

“Watch its movements carefully, little Pikachu.”

He had witnessed with his own eyes the lightning this Pikachu had unleashed; its power was so great that it had torn a vacuum-like hole through the clouds in the sky.

That was the power of heaven and earth, which meant its potential was definitely no less than his own Pikachu’s.

No, it might even be a step above.

Helping to educate it a little wouldn't be a problem.

*Whoosh!*

The round-faced Pikachu’s body turned into a streak of white light, moving so fast that it left an afterimage in place. Ekans’ fangs bit into empty air and slammed into the ground.

“Such speed...”

Misty, standing to the side, couldn't help but widen her eyes in admiration.

At this moment, the Pokédex broadcasted again.

“Beep. Ash’s Pikachu has learned a new move: Quick Attack!”

Hearing this, Red was slightly surprised, thinking to himself that this Pikachu’s potential was indeed extraordinary; it had instantly mastered a new move just by watching once.

“Then let’s go a bit faster. Pikachu, use Extreme Speed.”

“Pika!”

With a sharp cry from the larger Pikachu, the white light coating its body suddenly shifted into a strange cyan glow, and its speed surged once more.

The afterimage that had been barely visible to the naked eye just a moment ago vanished completely.

*Shoo!*

In the not-so-large Pokémon Center lobby, only faint flashes of cyan light remained.

“What the hell is this?!”

Jessie and Ekans were terrified; that slightly sturdier Pikachu had completely disappeared from sight.

“How about it, little Pikachu? Can you still keep up?”

Red turned his head and asked slowly.

“Pika...”

Ash’s Pikachu shook its head. Clearly, “Extreme Speed” was still too difficult for it at its current stage.

“It’s fine. Just remember the movement.”

If he planted a seed now, one day, the brilliance of “Extreme Speed” would bloom within this extraordinary Pikachu as well.

On the other side, seeing Jessie being toyed with, James quickly joined the fray.

“Koffing, use Smokescreen!”

Since they couldn't see it, they would use an AOE move!

Red gave his instructions calmly

“Don’t let it release it. Pikachu, use Electroweb.”

The figure in the midst of Extreme Speed stopped in mid-air, and Pikachu reappeared.

Its small body spun in the air, and a ball of electrical energy appeared at the tip of its tail.

*Whoosh!*

The electrical energy left its body, transforming into a massive electric net that completely covered the poison gas before it could spread.

The force didn't even diminish; it continued to fly toward the Team Rocket trio.

“End this battle. Use Thunderbolt.”

“Pika!”

The round-faced Pikachu slapped its cheeks hard, and golden lightning erupted instantly. It surged forward like a thunderous electric serpent, combining with the poison gas to trigger a terrifying explosion.

“BOOM!!”

Lightning and fire shot into the sky, blasting the Team Rocket trio—along with their two cute Pokémon—straight into the air.

A large hole was blown into the ceiling of the Pokémon Center.

“What a powerful Thunderbolt!”

“That Pikachu definitely isn't an ordinary electric mouse!”

“If we present it to the Boss, we’ll definitely get a promotion and a raise, meow!”

A great man named Lu Xun once said that the greatest fear in life is having no dreams.

While still in mid-air, the three of them instantly established a goal they hadn't set in over a decade; their lives suddenly felt like they had a dream.

That’s right, they had to capture that mutant Pikachu!

“We’re blasting off again~!”

The three turned into shooting stars and vanished into the sky over Viridian City.

Afterward.

“Pika!!”

Ash’s Pikachu looked at the round-faced Pikachu with adoration; it had clearly been completely conquered by that flashy combo of moves.

“You’ll be able to show off like that too, someday.”

Red just gently rubbed its head, comforting it.

With the matter settled, Red recalled his round-faced Pikachu, quite satisfied with his first battle.

Well, no matter where he went, it had to be a total stomp.

Seeing the large hole in the Pokémon Center’s ceiling, Red asked Nurse Joy for some wooden planks and climbed onto the roof, intending to make some repairs.

After all, he was the one who caused the damage, so he had to make compensation.

Otherwise, if he just left arrogantly, he was afraid someone would point out that he was actually just an ignorant outsider.

Left behind was Misty, who remained completely shocked and in a daze.

Damn!

Are all the new trainers these days this terrifying...?

The new generation is too strong!

Just this Pikachu alone could probably flatten her Cerulean Gym.

The kind that flattens it, renovates it, and then flattens it again!

Seeing Red already carrying the planks and climbing onto the seven- or eight-meter-high roof on his own, Misty couldn't help but say

“He’s a responsible good guy, after all...”

Wait, I feel like I’ve forgotten something!

On the roof of the Pokémon Center.

Red gazed at the bright crescent moon in the sky, his eyes deep, wondering what he was thinking about.

“This boy named Ash is really absurdly strange. His body is as sturdy as a Tauros; he actually flipped up here in just a few somersaults...”

The next morning.

Misty pushed open her door.

Coincidentally, the door across the hall opened at the same time.

So, she greeted him with sleepy eyes

“Morning, bike-thief.”

“Ah! It’s you! Everything yesterday was my fault. I’ll definitely find a way to pay you back for the bike!!”

Ash recognized Misty instantly and apologized sincerely and in a hurry.

Misty: “?”

She lost her sleepiness instantly and stared at Ash, completely bewildered.

Did I open the door wrong?

Thinking this, Misty closed the door again, took a deep breath, and opened it once more.

“Morning, bike-thief...?”

She greeted him tentatively.

“I already said I’d take responsibility, stop calling me a bike-thief!”

Ash was also confused. Was this woman playing some kind of performance art?

“And I have a name! My name is Ash, and my dream is to become a Pokémon Master!”

Misty: “?”

Is this kid playing at having a split personality?