The image on the giant screen left countless viewers puzzled.
Wasn't this supposed to be about mortals who defied gods?
What did this cozy lab scene have to do with that?
[Lance: Professor Oak… isn't that you?]
[Professor Oak: Mm. Yes, that's me… This was several months ago, when I was handing out starter Pokémon.]
[Professor Oak: And there weren't any cameras there… This Heavenly Tally is quite intriguing.]
Standing in Wyndon Stadium, Professor Oak watched the familiar scene play out,
a faint warmth surfacing in his eyes.
So it had already been half a year since he'd given Ash that Pikachu…
On the screen—
A boy stared excitedly at the little yellow mouse standing on the table.
"It's so cute! This is the best one yet!"
He lunged forward to pick up the slightly chubby Electric-type,
And Professor Oak quietly took two precautionary steps back.
A second later, brilliant golden sparks burst from Pikachu's cheeks—
and the boy's hair exploded into a spiky mess.
Then, text appeared on the screen, summarizing the story:
The boy's name was Ash Ketchum.
Today was the day he became a Pokémon Trainer.
Overexcited, he hadn't fallen asleep until past midnight—
And as a result, he overslept and missed all three starters.
Only one Pokémon remained.
A Pikachu with a difficult temperament,
hostile toward strangers, and refusing to enter a Poké Ball.
Hardly ideal for a beginner.
[Cynthia: Professor Oak, why did you give such a Pokémon to a brand-new trainer?]
[Professor Oak: Ahem… I had no other Pokémon left, and the boy absolutely refused to wait. So Pikachu was the only one who was even remotely suitable.]
[Alder: Hahaha! Ash really does love Pokémon. Pikachu will cause him plenty of trouble, I'm sure—but in the end, it'll become his greatest partner!]
[Ash: Yes! Just like Alder said—Pikachu is my best partner now!]
Beside him, Pikachu scratched its cheek, slightly embarrassed.
Seeing its younger self act so rudely stirred up complicated feelings.
The footage continued—
After a chaotic morning, Ash finally set off with Pikachu.
Because Pikachu refused to be touched,
Professor Oak had equipped the boy with rubber gloves
and tied a long cord around Pikachu's waist for "safety."
On the road, Ash tried to be considerate and removed the cord.
Pikachu was… unimpressed.
It immediately scampered away, refusing to listen to a single command.
Left with no choice, Ash tried catching wild Pokémon himself.
In a flurry of clumsy attempts, he caught absolutely nothing—
and even managed to hit a Spearow with a thrown stone.
The spiteful Spearow glared at him…
Meanwhile, Pikachu, laughing on the side, was mistaken for the culprit.
The Spearow launched a furious attack.
But despite being a rookie Pokémon,
Pikachu was still an Electric type—
And Electric beat Flying.
The Spearow fled with its feathers half-scorched.
[Volkner: That Pikachu's battle instinct is not bad at all.]
Volkner—the Sunyshore Gym Leader,
rumored to possess strength rivaling the Elite Four,
and a master of Electric types.
Being called "not bad" by him was already extremely high praise.
[Lance: I still don't understand. What is this scene supposed to show us? A prologue?]
[Cynthia: Possibly. Though it's rather long for one.]
[Leon: Don't complain! Watching a rookie trainer start their journey is nostalgic! And this one's pretty entertaining!]
Truly indeed, rookie trainers did tend to make mistakes.
But someone becoming a total mess before even leaving Pallet Town?
That was rare.
Many viewers laughed at Ash—
and at the same time, quietly remembered their own embarrassing first days.
The video continued—
The Spearow had not been defeated—
merely driven off.
And moments later, a massive shadow burst out from the trees.
A closer look revealed it:
Hundreds of Spearow.
No—thousands.
"Oh no! This is bad! Pikachu, run!"
"Pika!!"
Pikachu needed no convincing and bolted instantly,
drawing laughter from viewers everywhere.
Such a dramatic, expressive Pikachu was truly uncommon.
But the laughter quickly died.
Because the flock caught up.
And with their vengeful nature,
the Spearow all targeted Pikachu first.
Pikachu was strong for its level—
but not nearly strong enough to withstand an entire flock alone.
Ash's expression changed instantly.
Without hesitation, he threw himself into the storm of beating wings and sharp beaks.
Under the relentless assault,
he shielded the battered, bleeding Pikachu with his entire body.
"Hey!! I'm the one who threw the stone!
If you want someone—take me! Don't hurt Pikachu!"
The reckless boy showed a sudden, startling resolve.
With his small, fragile body,
he clutched Pikachu tightly and refused to let go.
Wing Attacks, Peck strikes—even violent Gusts—
nothing pried Pikachu from his arms.
Through sheer willpower,
Ash staggered free of the flock.
When the Spearow cornered them at a cliff's edge—
Ash didn't even hesitate.
He jumped.
Gasps erupted from viewers worldwide
as the boy vanished into the river far below.