Chapter 2: Who are you?

"Who's there!?"

Ash was startled by the sudden voice, but he looked left and right, and there was no one there but him.

A ghost?

Oh, there was also a completely charred bicycle nearby, shaped like a salted fish.

"Right, whose bike is this?"

Ash only remembered that in his panic, he had snatched a bike at random. As for the original owner...

He had no memory of it.

He seemed to remember being in the river and seeing a very cool, long blue dragon. Should he head back and take a look?

On the other side, Red had entered a very mysterious space.

The surroundings were gray and hazy, but he could perceive the thoughts of this magical boy—a seamless connection.

However, the way these wild, imaginative thoughts kept flipping over made his scalp tingle. Are the thoughts of normal humans always this chaotic?

If he didn't interrupt, he had no idea where this person's train of thought would wander off to. Red finally couldn't help but remind him

"Pokémon Center."

This voice startled Ash once again.

Being thick-skinned, he finally came back to his senses. Ho-Oh's healing wasn't omnipotent; the most important thing now was to get to the Pokémon Center.

If Pikachu were to develop some kind of rheumatic sequelae later on, that would be a major issue.

Not caring whether he was possessed or not, Ash tucked the Rainbow Wing into his shirt, scooped up Pikachu, and ran in one direction.

As for where the destination was?

He didn't know either, but running in the direction Ho-Oh had left in was good enough.

Viridian City, Pokémon Center.

Ash handed Pikachu over to Nurse Joy.

He hadn't expected that after running around blindly, he would actually make it out of the forest and arrive at a big city.

Afterward, under Nurse Joy's guidance, Ash took out his Pokédex and registered as a trainer. This way, he could enjoy the many benefits the Pokémon League provided to trainers for free.

Such as free use of Pokémon Center facilities, free medical treatment, free lodging, and so on.

One had to know that the Pokémon Center was a chain brand that spanned the entire country, and even the world.

"Ding~ ding~ ding-ding-ding~"

Not long after, Pikachu came out wrapped in bandages. Aside from a few minor injuries, it looked to be in no serious trouble.

According to Nurse Joy, the situation had been very critical; if he had brought it in any later, Pikachu's wounds might have already healed on their own.

"Pika!"

Seeing Ash again, Pikachu's eyes lit up. It leaped directly onto Ash's shoulder, acting quite affectionate.

This caused Ash's sense of pride to soar instantly. He felt like he had truly become a trainer, and he couldn't help but beam, rubbing Pikachu's head.

But seeing that he was still covered in mud, Ash planned to go to the lodging rooms behind the Pokémon Center to take a good, long shower.

However, when Ash saw the public phone nearby, he couldn't help but walk over.

"Hello, this is Ash's mom."

The call went through, and Delia's voice came through.

Ash's mom was even more oblivious than Ash.

Ash couldn't help but boast, "Mom, I've arrived in Viridian City."

"Oh, Ash, why are you covered in mud?"

Delia, however, noticed something else.

"Oh, oh, there was a heavy rainstorm in Viridian City just now, and I got splashed by a passing car."

Ash didn't dare tell the truth, and he quickly pressed the bandaged Pikachu down near his waist so it wouldn't be seen; otherwise, Delia would surely start nagging again.

"You really are careless. Boys need to be careful when they're out, remember to wear—"

Even so, Delia still started her endless stream of instructions.

As she spoke, she suddenly thought of something, and her expression filled with a hint of pride.

"But it's really amazing that you reached Viridian City in just one day. Back in the day, your father took many days to reach Viridian City."

Ash was stunned. Memories of his father hadn't appeared in his mind for a long time.

"Anyway, you must become a trainer even stronger than your father and your grandfather. Good luck, Ash!"

With that, Delia hung up the phone.

Ash put down the receiver and finally planned to go take a shower.

Turning his head, he happened to see a wallpaper in the Pokémon Center depicting four Pokémon totems.

Three were bird-like Pokémon, and one of them looked somewhat similar to the colorful giant bird he had encountered earlier.

Is Fearow really that famous out here?

He scratched his head, secretly puzzled.

"Beep, beep, beep."

At that moment, the phone beside him suddenly rang.

Ash looked around; there was no one else, so he tentatively picked up the phone.

On the video screen was an elderly man with gray hair, wearing a white lab coat, his serious expression tinged with a hint of goofiness.

This was Professor Oak, the man who had given Pikachu to Ash as his starter Pokémon.

"Oh, oh, Ash. I heard from your mother that you've already reached Viridian City, so I gave you a call."

Ash smiled proudly and nodded.

"Mm-hmm. Actually, I didn't have high hopes for you, but if you cast a wide net, you'll always catch a big fish. Anyway, the more outstanding you perform, the more glorious I'll be..."

Professor Oak rambled on to himself.

This made Ash frown, and he felt the urge to hang up the phone immediately.

"By the way, how many Pokémon have you caught?"

Hearing this, Ash jumped, taking several steps back, not daring to face the screen directly.

But in the end, he had to bite the bullet and reply

"Um... currently less than 30...?"

Professor Oak's face changed instantly, moving with lightning speed, his expression one of disappointment.

"You really didn't disappoint me when it comes to being disappointing..."

Ash quickly tried to retort

"But I saw a magical Fearow! It looks just like the icon on that wall!"

"It's just a common Fearow. Besides, the Pokémon on that icon are super special Pokémon; a beginner like you couldn't possibly..."

Before he could finish, Professor Oak suddenly opened his mouth wide, his eyes bulging.

His expression was somewhat distorted, and his two large eyeballs almost popped out of the screen.

Because Ash had pulled out that colorful feather, trying once again to prove himself

"It really was a super cool Fearow, it was just a bit balding. Look, look, this is the feather it dropped."

Professor Oak: "!!!"

Even through the screen, he could feel a mysterious, sacred radiance.

The area around this colorful feather was emitting a rainbow glow, complete with its own filter; it was simply not something that could be compared to the feather of an ordinary Pokémon.

Did this kid really get lucky and encounter a legendary Pokémon?!

Professor Oak's face changed again instantly, the speed even faster than before.

"Ash-kun, you're a good boy. Why don't you mail the feather to me so I can take a look..."

"Hey, hey, hey, the signal is bad here, I'm hanging up!"

Ash looked up at the ceiling, pretended to mumble a few words, and hung up the phone directly.

I'm not someone to be bullied!

Thinking this, he put away the Rainbow Wing and turned to go take a shower.

Just shortly after Ash left.

A girl with short orange hair tied in a small ponytail walked in, sweating profusely and carrying a salted-fish-like bicycle.

She first scanned the surroundings, didn't find her target, and could only drop the wrecked bike on the floor.

Then she walked straight toward the inner door, her face pouting.

Having her bicycle snatched by someone for no reason, and then having it destroyed into a salted fish—even a peaceful Slowpoke would be furious!

"The trainer with the Pikachu, I will definitely not let you off!"

The girl, whose name was Misty, secretly vowed.

At night, Ash and Pikachu were fast asleep.

This was his first night as a trainer, and he had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

He slept very soundly, in a very ungraceful posture.

Pikachu beside him was the same; the boy and the mouse, having just established a bond, now had identical sleeping habits.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, Ash sat up straight like a zombie.

He looked at his own hands in a daze.

"Pika!?"

Pikachu beside him lifted its little head, looking at its trainer with great vigilance; yellow electricity was already sparking on its cheeks.

Pokémon are different from humans; they have special senses.

Although Ash's appearance hadn't changed, Pikachu keenly sensed it.

This person is not my greenhorn trainer!

Red: "..."

And the one controlling Ash's body at this moment was Red, who had been inexplicably absorbed into him.

He closed his eyes, sensing everything around him, feeling the air brush against his body. It was a feeling different from before, which further confirmed to Red that his former self was just a fictional electronic character.

"How ridiculous..."

But perhaps this boy named Ash was also fictional, and he had just arrived in a higher-level fictional world?

"Pika!"

The cry beside him pulled Red's thoughts back to reality.

Opening his eyes, he saw a Pikachu baring its teeth at him.

Red also had a Pikachu; he knew that when a Pikachu made this gesture, it was about to attack.

"I mean no harm."

It wasn't a big deal. Red revealed a smile and slowly extended his palm to touch Pikachu's cheek.

The latter actually lost its hostility under his hand, and even began to lick Red's palm gently.

Pokémon all have special senses and can distinguish between human good and evil.

Red was an old hand at dealing with electric mice, but this magical feeling of touching a Pokémon was refreshing to him.

"Is this what a real Pokémon is?"

Saying this, Red pulled Pikachu directly into his arms.

If Ash were to wake up suddenly and see this scene, he would probably cough up a mouthful of blood.

He had almost risked his own life to earn Pikachu's trust.

And now, a stranger had just "NTR'd" his Pikachu?

"Let's go for a walk."

Red tickled Pikachu's chin, and Pikachu understood, jumping onto his shoulder. The two walked slowly out of the room.

He didn't know how long this state would last, so taking this opportunity, Red wanted to take a good look at this real world.

Unexpectedly, just as he walked out of the room.

*Clatter!*

The door opposite opened as well, and the orange-haired girl walked out.

The two locked eyes.

"!"

Misty exploded instantly, her eyes widening as she roared

"You bicycle-stealing thief, I've finally caught you!"

Then Misty watched as the other person walked toward the Pokémon Center entrance as if she weren't there, not even giving her a proper look...

"Damn it!?"

What was more annoying than having your bike stolen to your face was that the person who stole it would just swagger past and ignore you?

Does this make sense?!

So Misty quickly chased after him, reaching out her hand, intending to grab Red's shirt.

*Slap.*

But before she could touch Red, the latter had already taken a step forward, extended a palm, and grabbed her wrist.

Red then turned his head, his eyes devoid of any fluctuation, radiating only a dense chill that warned strangers to stay away.

"Who are you?"

Misty: "???"

Not even 24 hours later, and you're already wiping your mouth and refusing to acknowledge me?!