High atop the massive tree in Viridian Forest, once home to flocks of Pidgey and Pidgeotto, a Meowth-shaped balloon was now docked.
"Big red bird, are you sure Pidgeot will come back to save its companions?"
"Ooh! Ooh ooh!"
"What's it squawking about? Meowth, translate!"
"This guy says Pidgeot cares about its companions more than anything, so it'll definitely come back.
Also, it says its name is Fearow, not 'Big Red Bird,' meow!"
"I don't care what it's called," Jessie waved it off.
"But thanks to this guy's intel, we managed to catch so many Pidgey and Pidgeotto."
As she spoke, Jessie casually stepped on the netted Pokémon beneath her feet.
"Fearow couldn't beat that Pidgeot, so it came to us for help reclaiming its territory, meow."
"Once we catch Pidgeot, we'll sweep up Fearow and all its Spearow subordinates in one go!"
Jessie's lips curled into a sly grin.
"But still," James leaned in, puzzled,
"Pidgeotto and Spearow are super common Pokémon. What's the point of catching this many?"
"You idiot!" Meowth snapped.
"Picture this: one day, Boss Giovanni conquers the world. Standing atop his empire, he looks down… then suddenly wants to conquer the sky too, meow!"
"At that moment, countless Pidgey and Spearow sense the Boss's ambition and flock together—lifting Boss Giovanni majestically into the sky, meow!"
"And then Boss Giovanni gazes upon the breathtaking scenery and says—"
"'Team Rocket Trio, who showed me this beautiful world… I shall reward you handsomely,' meow!"
"I see!" James gasped.
"As expected of Meowth—perfectly logical!"
"Promotion to executive… branch manager status… this feels amazing!"
"So~ nice!"
Not far away, watching the Team Rocket Trio act out their fantasy, Fearow fell completely silent.
…Are these really the people I asked for help?
---
[...]
It wasn't just Fearow.
Everyone watching the livestream also fell into collective silence.
Finally, Bruno broke it.
[Bruno]: Lance… is this the evil organization you've been fighting all this time? You've really had it rough…
[Lorelei]: I suggest the League reduce Lance's funding.
Actually—cut it all off.
[Steven Stone]: This is the evil organization of the Kanto region?
Compared to extremists like Team Magma who want to destroy the world, they're… kind of cute.
[Misty]: Team Rocket has always had… unconventional thought processes. You get used to it.
[Jessie]: What do you mean by that, twerp?! We've always worked tirelessly for world peace!
[James]: Yeah! Do you have any idea how much suffering we endure day and night just to catch Pokémon?!
[Lance]: No!
The Team Rocket members I fight are ruthless terrorists—not this kind of style at all!
Giovanni! Where's Giovanni?! Come explain yourself!
Lance wished he could crawl into that world and personally punch the three of them.
They're the stupid ones—so why do I feel embarrassed?!
---
At Team Rocket Headquarters in the Kanto region, Giovanni was also watching the livestream.
"With subordinates this foolish… I almost feel sorry for that world's Giovanni."
He leaned back in his leather chair, ignoring Lance's frantic messages, raised his wine glass, and took an elegant sip—
Then froze.
Wait.
…That's not right.
My own three subordinates don't seem much different either.
So I'm the clown???
"Should we expel Jessie, James, and Meowth from Team Rocket?"
His secretary, Matori, spoke calmly, adjusting her glasses.
Team Rocket was, after all, a professional criminal organization focused on profits.
Those three had severely damaged its public image.
Expulsion would actually be merciful.
"…No," Giovanni said slowly.
"They're still… somewhat useful in critical moments."
Matori's eyes flickered with resentment.
She genuinely couldn't understand how those three had earned such leniency.
They destroyed the Pokémon amusement park.
Botched the Viridian Gym operation.
And yet the Boss still called them "useful."
If anyone else had done half of that, they'd be dead ten times over.
You really spoil them…
---
— Back to the Red Light Screen —
"Piiidgeot!"
The Team Rocket Trio snapped out of their fantasy.
Looking up, they saw Pidgeot rapidly approaching.
"It really came!" Jessie shouted.
"James! Quick—get the secret weapon Boss gave us!"
"The secret weapon… you mean that Gacha Machine?!"
[...]
The moment James said that, Meowth instinctively tried to sneak away.
Too bad Jessie noticed instantly.
"This isn't the time to hesitate!"
She grabbed Meowth and slammed the Meowth Coin on its head into the machine.
"Team Rocket-style! Secret Gacha!"
After Meowth was violently shaken, two black Poké Balls popped out.
"Go!"
White light flashed—
Honchkrow and Skarmory appeared midair.
Two info cards listing their stats and moves fell neatly into Jessie and James's hands.
[Bruno]: Oh my… they even prepared instruction cards. I'm going to cry.
"As expected of the Boss!"
"Honchkrow—Air Slash!"
"Skarmory—Swift!"
Two powerful attacks shot straight toward Pidgeot.
"Pidgeot!"
With a single flap of its wings, a violent gale erupted around it.
The attacks were blown straight back.
[Falkner]: That's Hurricane!
This Pidgeot's level is extremely high!
[Winona]: Not only that—it neutralized the threat and countered in one move. Its combat experience is terrifying.
Panicking as their own attacks returned, the Team Rocket Trio dragged someone forward.
"Wobbuffet, quick—do something!"
"So~ nice!"
A faint glow surrounded Wobbuffet as it reflected the attacks back yet again.
[Raihan]: That Wobbuffet's impressive—it can properly use moves even without commands.
Seizing the opening, Pidgeot performed a sharp U-turn, then used Quick Attack—
Blazing past Honchkrow and Skarmory in a flash—
And landing beside the captured Pidgey and Pidgeotto.
"Pidgeot!"
With a precise Air Slash, the nets were shredded.
[Lance]: Strength, speed, awareness—everything is top-tier.
Since this is a parallel world, that Pidgeot should exist in Viridian Forest right now as well.
[Lorelei]: Oh? Weren't you always calling yourself a Dragon-type Elite? Why are you so invested in a Flying-type Pidgeot?
[Lance]: Fine, I'll be honest.
Calling myself a Dragon-type Elite was a family tradition.
Haven't you noticed? Gyarados and Charizard are both Flying-type.
Even Dragonite is part Flying-type.
I've always been a Flying-type Elite!
[Lorelei]: I've never seen someone so shameless. Truly… "filial."
[Pokémon Hunter]: A fine commodity. That should sell for a good price.
[Misty]: Ash! What are you doing?! That's your Pokémon—say something!
Misty spoke anxiously.
That Pidgeot had been released by Ash in Viridian Forest.
Now it was a wild Pokémon again.
With so many people coveting its strength, if Ash didn't act fast, it might be captured by someone else.
[Paul]: That guy shouted "holy crap" and bolted the moment Pidgeot appeared.
He should already be in Viridian Forest by now.
[Giovanni]: Damn it… one step too late!
[...]
---
Though separated by different worlds,
Red Ash's actions were still influencing White Ash.
---
To be continued…
---
Author's Note:
The reason Ash's comparison heavily features Team Rocket is simple—besides Ash himself, Team Rocket has accompanied us for 25 years.
In my eyes, Team Rocket are also protagonists.