[Newbie Ash: Caterpie? Why? Isn't Caterpie considered weak?]
Tactician Ash's suggestion left Ash scratching his head. Even as a beginner, he knew that Bug-types, especially Caterpie and Weedle, common sights in Kanto, were notorious for being fragile. Sure, they evolved quickly, but just as quickly they were outclassed.
[Tactician Ash: Weak? Tell that to my Focus Sash, Compound Eyes, Sleep Powder, and Tailwind.]
[Newbie Ash: Wh… what are those?]
[Champion Ash: Hahaha, dirty tricks, that's what. Butterfree, Caterpie's final form, has the ability Compound Eyes. It boosts accuracy by thirty percent. Normally, Sleep Powder is unreliable, but with Compound Eyes, it hits much more consistently.]
[Champion Ash: And though Butterfree's stats aren't stellar, its Speed is impressive. With Compound Eyes Sleep Powder and Tailwind support, plus a Focus Sash to guarantee survival, Butterfree can swing the pace of an entire battle. It's an incredible setup Pokémon.]
[Newbie Ash: …]
Ash stared blankly at the chat. The explanation sounded brilliant, but the actual tactics went way over his head.
[Tactician Ash: Anyway, first catch a Caterpie, preferably one with good potential. Bonds between Trainer and Pokémon can break natural limits, but if it were that easy, it wouldn't be called a miracle.]
[Tactician Ash: After you evolve Caterpie into Butterfree, I'll show you how to unleash its tactics. Trust me, nothing feels better than turning a hopeless battle into victory with a Butterfree.]
[Newbie Ash: Alright… then I'll go look in Viridian Forest.]
That conversation from last night replayed in Ash's mind. Catching Caterpie hadn't been random; it was a deliberate choice guided by the veterans.
Of course, the group had a principle: Don't catch weak Pokémon just to abandon them. But Ash was different, he had Breeder Ash's Insight Eye. With it, he could see a Pokémon's potential before even throwing a Poké Ball. Why waste time on poor prospects when he could invest in one that truly had promise?
This Caterpie, with its rare talent, was likely one of the strongest Caterpie in the entire Viridian Forest. Though still small and timid, Ash believed it would shine brilliantly with the right care, and with guidance from the experts in the chat.
After the capture, Ash released Caterpie and gently sprayed a Potion over its bruises. Pikachu's attacks hadn't been too severe, but without treatment, Caterpie would've needed a couple of days to recover. With medicine, it would bounce back within the hour.
From then on, Ash wasted no time. Determined to evolve Caterpie quickly, he sought out every battle he could. Wild Pokémon, Bug Catchers with nets, even the classic Short-Pants Kids who challenged anyone passing through the forest.
The battles weren't tough, most of these Trainers were only marginally stronger, but they gave Caterpie the experience it needed and gave Ash his first taste of proper Trainer battles.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During these three days, whenever they were tired, they rested; when they were hungry, they ate instant food and thought longingly of the meals at the Pokémon Center. They chatted about future plans, about training directions, and even squeezed in battles against wild Pokémon and wandering Trainers.
For Ash, these days were incredibly fulfilling. For Misty, not so much.
Her entomophobia had been tested beyond endurance. After three days in Viridian Forest, she was almost numb.
Her biggest regret was leaving her bike back in Viridian City and agreeing to walk with Ash. She had imagined enjoying the scenery, savoring the fun of traveling. Instead, every moment here felt like torture. She had even grown somewhat used to the sight of Ash's Caterpie... somewhat.
Besides screaming at bugs, Misty still gave Ash advice during battles. Ash was secretly impressed: she seemed to be his age, yet her knowledge and commanding skills were sharper than his. Even with the daily influence of the group chat veterans, he was still behind her. Just how strong was Misty, really?
"How much longer until Pewter City, Ash?" she asked weakly. It was nearly noon on the fourth day, and her feet felt like they were about to give out.
"Let's see… we're already past halfway. Faster than I expected," Ash said after checking the map.
"Of course! Didn't you notice I'm not clinging to your clothes anymore? I've forced myself to ignore the bugs so we can get out of here faster!"
"Ignore? You still scream when Caterpie gets near. He actually likes you, you know , you're hurting his feelings~"
"Don't joke with me! Just tolerating him within a meter is already because he's on our team, okay? Any closer and I'd drop dead!"
Ash chuckled. "By the time you accept him, he'll probably have evolved anyway. He's close to it now, any day he'll be ready to cocoon. …Wait, are your feet hurting?"
"What do you mean 'hurting'? Don't make it sound weird. My feet are just sore. Not everyone's a monster like you who never gets tired." She stopped and rubbed her toes through her shoes.
Before she could ask for a break, Ash crouched in front of her. "Get on."
"Get on what?"
"My back. If you're this sore, walking won't help, and it'll just delay us two or three days. I'll carry you."
Misty's face flushed. She couldn't tell if it was from exhaustion or from embarrassment.
"Don't hesitate. What, worried you're too heavy? Even if you were..."
"WHO are you calling heavy?! I don't even weigh ninety pounds!!" she snapped, cutting him off.
A moment later, Ash felt a soft weight settle on his back. Just as Misty had said, she was feather-light.