Age 10, April 1 — "Pallet Town Journey: Day One (Part 2)"
I finally met Pikachu, but as expected, he's totally uncooperative.
It's not like he's just randomly blasting me with electricity, but he charges up the moment I try to touch him. When I actually reached out, he hit me with a Thundershock. Thanks to my rubber gloves, I was fine, but at this rate, we aren't going to be friends anytime soon.
In the anime, Ash couldn't get Pikachu back into his Poké Ball, but it seems like that was mostly because he didn't know how to use the ball properly. When I aimed the recall beam at him, he went inside without a fight.
I grabbed my Pokédex and extra Poké Balls from the Professor and hit the road, but I can't exactly defend myself if my only Pokémon won't fight. I stopped just outside Pallet Town to have a heart-to-heart with him. Gary and the others are already long gone, but that's fine. I've got my own pace to keep.
"Pikachu. Let's have a serious talk."
He tried to avoid eye contact, so I forced him to look at me. He resisted with a Thundershock, but I let him vent his frustration into my gloves until he ran out of juice. Once he realized I wasn't backing down, he finally went quiet and stared at me, waiting to see what I'd do.
"You don't like me. That means you want to go back to the wild, right?"
"Pika."
He nodded. Alright, time to negotiate. I'm not interested in forcing a partner who hates me to tag along.
"Pikachu, here's the deal. Help me catch just one Pokémon. Once I have a teammate who actually listens, I'll let you handle the rest of the fights from the sidelines. As soon as we reach Viridian City, I'll call Professor Oak and tell him to set you free. You'll be back in the wild, and I'll get a new Starter. Deal?"
There's no point in demanding obedience without offering an incentive. If he sees a benefit for himself, he'll endure the trip. If he really wants out, I'll just get one of the traditional Starters once we reach the city.
"Pika-pika?"
"Yeah, I mean it. If you really want out, I won't even make you stay in the Poké Ball until we get to Viridian."
He looked at me with a hint of suspicion, then finally nodded. "Pika."
Contract established. Now, who to catch? Around here, the options are mostly Pidgey and Rattata. I don't particularly need either, but Pidgey is the better utility pick. Flying-types are great for scouting if I ever get lost.
"It's decided. We're catching a Pidgey. Then you're free."
"Pika-pika!"
Motivated by the prospect of freedom, Pikachu started scanning the tall grass. Ironically, the moment we actually started looking for one, they were nowhere to be found. We circled the area for a bit with no luck, so we kept moving forward. True to his word, Pikachu followed along without complaining.
Eventually, we spotted a Pidgey near a tree. Pikachu stepped forward, eyes narrowed. I told him to hold back so he wouldn't accidentally KO it, then ordered a Thundershock. It was a direct hit. The Pidgey went down instantly, and I let fly with a perfect major-league pitch.
Click. One Pidgey, successfully caught.
Technically, my contract with Pikachu was fulfilled. However, since I need to talk to the Professor to officially "release" him, I asked him to stick with me until the City. He agreed—acting like a bodyguard who's just counting down the minutes until his shift ends. I let Pidgey out and asked it to lead the way.
"Pidgey, glad to have you on the team. You feeling okay?"
It gave a spirited cry, so I had it fly point. We ran into a Rattata that tried to pick a fight, but there's no way a ground-bound Pokémon is beating a Pidgey that can just stay out of reach. We only know Tackle right now, but using "hit-and-run" tactics from the air, we took it down without taking a scratch.
See? Strategy makes all the difference. Meanwhile, Pikachu was in the back, yawning.
After a few more wild encounters, a Spearow appeared. In the anime, this was the trigger for the flock attack, but in a one-on-one fight, they usually don't call for backup unless they're desperate. Since it was another Flying-type, this was a harder fight for Pidgey.
Pidgey had just learned Sand Attack, but Spearow has the Keen Eye ability, so its accuracy wouldn't drop. It came down to a war of attrition with Tackle. I kept a close eye on the HP trade, and eventually, Pidgey landed a critical hit that sent the Spearow spiraling into the grass. Victory.
I looked over at the fallen Spearow. It was looking back at me with teary, resentful eyes. Wait... I've seen this look before.
***
Age 10, April 1 (Evening) — "Viridian City: The Journey Begins (Part 3)"
I can't believe how closely the "script" followed me.
Seriously, Spearow—don't call your whole squad just because you lost a fair fight. That's like calling your parents because you lost a playground scuffle. Have some dignity.
Long story short: the flock attacked, Pikachu was outside his ball and got absolutely pummeled, and I didn't have time to recall him. I scooped up my unconscious partner, dove into a waterfall, "borrowed" a bike from a girl who was definitely Misty, and pedaled for my life. In the end, it took a massive Thunder from Pikachu—channeled through a lightning strike—to blast the flock away.
I was honestly considering using a Pallet-Style Secret Technique to punch them all out, but I'm glad we found a less "superhuman" solution.
Even though I didn't jump in front of the beaks as heroically as the original Ash, I think Pikachu appreciated that I didn't just leave him behind. We've reached the Viridian City Pokémon Center, and I'm writing this while he recovers.
Oh, and I saw Ho-Oh. No Rainbow Wing, though. Total bummer.
Pikachu is currently being treated, and I am currently being screamed at by the girl whose bike I wrecked. She is way angrier than I expected. I can't even get a "sorry" in edgewise. My bad, girl, it was a life-or-death situation!
As she was yelling, Pikachu was wheeled out of the treatment room. I called a "timeout" and went to check on him with Nurse Joy. Misty isn't a total monster; seeing how beat-up Pikachu was, she told me to focus on him for now. Misty really is a good person at heart.
Just as I was feeling moved by her "big sister" energy, the alarms went off. Team Rocket had arrived.
I forgot this was their debut. Honestly, seeing a talking Meowth in person is wild—I almost want to catch him. Their motto is just as flashy as I remembered. I love these guys.
That said, I'm not handing over Pikachu. I sent out Pidgey to intercept. It actually learned Gust during the Spearow chaos, so it's holding its own, but we're outnumbered by Koffing, Ekans, and Meowth. Plus, being indoors means we can't use the ceiling to our advantage.
Misty, seeing me struggle, jumped in with her Staryu. I have to admit, she's got the skills of a Gym Leader. Between Pidgey and Staryu, we managed to send Team Rocket packing.
Wait, in the anime, Pikachu was the one who blasted them. Since he stayed asleep this time, I wonder if they'll even bother following us?
***
Age 10, April 2 — "Into Viridian Forest: The Budget Vivillon, Butterfree"
Misty is officially following me until I pay for her bike. We're heading into Viridian Forest now.
Pikachu is back at 100%. After the Spearow incident, he seems to have taken a liking to me. The deal to release him is off the table; he's actually listening to my commands now. Great success. He still refuses to stay in the Poké Ball, though.
At least the Pokémon Center didn't explode this time. Next stop: Pewter City.
We were walking through the forest when Misty spotted a Caterpie and started losing her mind. Looking at the little bug, I debated whether to catch it. Even if I evolve it into Butterfree, the "original" story says I have to let it go eventually. Still, Compound Eyes paired with Sleep Powder is a cracked combo, even if it is just a "budget Vivillon." Plus, there's always the possibility of Gigantamaxing later.
I decided that if it could survive a Gust from Pidgey, I'd take it. I initiated the battle.
Caterpie tried to slow us down with String Shot, but Pidgey stayed high and dodged it, retaliating with a long-range Gust. The bug was blown back, but it managed to stand up and glare at us. It's got guts. In the game, that would have been a one-shot, but this little guy is a fighter. I tossed the ball.
Sorry, buddy, but I'm not letting you go to find a girlfriend. You're with me for the long haul.
The moment I caught Caterpie, Pidgey started to glow. Between the Team Rocket fight and the forest encounters, it finally had enough experience.
Pidgey evolved into Pidgeotto!
I technically have the same team as the original Ash now, even if my Pidgeotto is a different individual.
***
Timeline Deviations
Episode 1: I caught a Pidgey early. Because of the extra training, it's already a Pidgeotto and is currently higher level than Pikachu.
Episode 2: Pikachu didn't defeat Team Rocket. Since he didn't show off his "special" power, they might not realize how valuable he is.
Property Damage: The Viridian Pokémon Center is fully intact.
Internal Monologue: I've started thinking of Misty with a bit more respect (even if I don't say it to her face).
Current Party
| Pokémon | Level | Notes |
| --------- | ----- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Pikachu | 10 | Finally listening. Refuses to enter Poké Ball. |
| Pidgeotto | 18 | The MVP. Great at hit-and-run tactics. |
| Caterpie | 3 | New! High potential for status-effect support. |