[Serena: Ash really doesn't understand a girl's heart at all! I could walk on my own, sure—but if he'd carried me on his back then, I would've been so much happier!]
[Delia Ketchum (Ash's mother) : Oh come now~ our Ash isn't quite the same as that other Ash, you know. He didn't grow up training his body. But now? I'd say carrying Serena would be a piece of cake for him~]
Hearing Delia 's teasing, Brock could practically hear the abacus beads clacking from all the way over in Pewter City.
So, Delia was already planning her son's future love life, huh?
On the black screen, the image froze—
The final frame showed Ash, face flushed and glistening with sweat, while Serena smiled with unrestrained happiness.
Then, the white screen lit up again—
This time, the scene was set in Pallet Town.
Inside the White Screen—
Ash was set to receive his starter Pokémon the next day.
He was so excited that he could barely sleep until midnight.
The next morning, he overslept—missing out on all three starters.
In the end, he got a Pikachu—one with a stubborn personality that refused to stay inside its Poké Ball, and wouldn't even obey Ash's commands.
Because of that, the strong-willed Ash tried to capture other Pokémon on his own.
But when he attempted to catch a Pidgey, he accidentally hit a Spearow with a rock.
That sparked the Spearow's rage—and it called an entire flock for backup!
Pikachu, attacked by the furious flock, was gravely injured.
Yet Ash never gave up on his Pokémon—he ran desperately, carrying Pikachu up hills and across rivers.
And to make matters worse—it started pouring rain.
That was when everyone finally understood what Brock meant by "not an ordinary kid."
Seriously, even a grown adult would've collapsed and gone to meet their maker by now.
But Ash persevered! And as he stumbled through the raging current—
He ran into a girl with bright orange hair.
Because of the emergency, he borrowed her bicycle.
Even so, he couldn't escape the Spearow flock.
In the end, Ash and Pikachu slipped on the muddy road and fell hard.
The Spearow army swooped down, ready to finish them off.
Ash placed Pikachu's Poké Ball in front of him,
then turned around, spreading his arms wide to shield Pikachu behind him.
"Who do you think I am?! I'm going to be a Pokémon Master!"
"I'm not giving up here—and I'll never let you hurt my partner!"
Ash's words sent shockwaves through every viewer.
Now they understood why this boy had been chosen by the mysterious broadcast.
Just that act—just those words—
were something most people couldn't muster in a lifetime.
Sure, there were people who'd risked their lives for their Pokémon before,
but to do it for a Pokémon you'd just met—
one that didn't even obey you—
Ash was the first!
[Leon: So this is what Ash went through at the very start of his journey? Truly admirable! To stand up so bravely in that moment—well done, Ash!]
[Cynthia: Many say they'd treat their Pokémon as their own life… but to truly act on that belief—such people are exceedingly rare.]
[Raihan: Can't deny it—Ash's legendary journey really is something else. Just this beginning alone outshines 90% of trainers in the world.]
For any other ten-year-old trainer, this would've been certain death.
But Ash survived.
Just that fact proved that the "white world" version of him was safe—for now.
Still, everyone wondered: how would Ash overcome this crisis?
Inside the White Screen—
The flock of Spearow didn't know mercy.
They dove down in a furious storm of wings—
At that very instant, Pikachu, half-dead, suddenly jolted awake!
It leapt from Ash's arms, springing off his shoulder,
and under Ash's astonished gaze, it summoned a bolt of divine thunder!
In that moment, the rain ceased, the skies cleared—
and the brilliant golden lightning annihilated the entire Spearow flock in one strike.
When the light faded,
charred Spearow lay scattered across the ground.
Only one trembling boy stood there—
No, not just him—every viewer in the real world was left speechless.
When the storm passed, Ash and Pikachu clung to each other in tears of relief.
Then, a radiant rainbow stretched across the sky.
Ash looked up instinctively—
and saw a magnificent bird, its plumage shimmering in seven colors, soaring across the heavens.
Its divine presence made Ash's breath catch.
He pulled out his Pokédex,
but even it couldn't identify the mysterious Pokémon.
The image slowly faded to black—
[Professor Oak: Holy—Ho-Oh?! Ash, so you really did see Ho-Oh back then?!]
[Ash: Of course! I told you before, Professor Oak, but you didn't believe me! Now you've got proof!]
[Misty: Yeah, I didn't really believe it at first either. But after traveling with Ash, I've seen so many unbelievable things that… honestly, I believe him now.]
[Sakura(the Kimono Girl from Johto): Misty, that's kind of obvious, isn't it? The footage literally showed it.]
[Misty: That's not what I meant! I meant I believed him before the footage came out!]
[Iris: Uh-huh, sure you did.]
[Misty: You guys are the worst!]
When the white projection ended, Ash's name became famous worldwide.
Ho-Oh, the Legendary Pokémon—
It was said not to have appeared for a thousand years.
And yet Ash saw it—that couldn't just be coincidence!
A creature absent for a millennium suddenly showing up before a random boy?
No one would buy that.
It had to mean something.
[Lance: Could it be… that Ash is the legendary Rainbow Hero?]
[Ash: Explain! What's a Rainbow Hero?!]
[Lance: Legend says that those chosen by Ho-Oh are granted that title. One day, they'll have the right to battle Ho-Oh—and if they can win, they may earn the chance to capture it.]
[Ash: Whoa!! That means one day I could actually battle Ho-Oh?! And if I win, I can catch it?!]
[Gary: Dream on, Ash. You? The Rainbow Hero? Don't make me laugh.]
[Gary: You just got lucky, that's all. A blind Pidove could've found that Ho-Oh! Hero, my foot.]