The early morning light trickled through the curtains, casting soft rays into the room as tiny dust particles floated in the air.
The peaceful atmosphere was interrupted by the sharp ringing of an alarm clock.
Ash, the boy who had been sound asleep, frowned as the noise reached his ears. Slowly, he opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling in a daze.
He sat up, yawning and stretching, his messy hair a testament to his deep sleep. Rubbing his face, he muttered,
"It's about time…"
As he fully woke up, his eyes brightened with excitement.
Today was the day he would receive his first Pokémon as a Rookie Trainer and begin his journey to challenge the Kanto League.
But then, a wave of uncertainty washed over him, and his excitement faded. Ash frowned slightly, folding his arms as he thought deeply.
"Should I go to Professor Oak's Laboratory on time and choose one of the traditional starters, or wait a little and pick Pikachu?"
Ash had been pondering this dilemma for a while.
In fact, he had been thinking about it ever since he arrived in this world, four years ago. But now, faced with the decision, he still hadn't made up his mind.
The traditional starter Pokémon — Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle — all had extraordinary potential.
They were perfect for new trainers and could evolve into powerful forms capable of Mega Evolution.
But Pikachu… Pikachu was different.
It wasn't a typical starter Pokémon, but it had incredible potential too. After all, Pikachu was the star of the Pokémon world in the animated version.
However, this wasn't a game or a show.
This was real life, and Pikachu wasn't exactly known for its overwhelming strength in the real world. Ash wasn't sure if the Pikachu here would be the same as the one in the animated series.
Moreover, Pikachu seemed to have odd issues in the animated version.
Every time Ash entered a new region, Pikachu's strength seemed to reset. Despite having the power to defeat legendary Pokémon, it would still lose to newly evolved starters.
"If only my system had more intelligence…" Ash sighed.
Back in his old world, he used to criticize intelligent systems in novels, thinking they were just plot devices to stretch out the story.
But now, he could really use one to help him make this decision.
"And speaking of my system…" Ash let out another sigh.
Unlike the powerful systems he had read about, his system wasn't much help.
It only showed him basic attributes of Pokémon, and nothing more. No special abilities or advantages.
"Never mind," he muttered to himself, shaking his head.
"Let's eat breakfast first. I still have half an hour before I need to go."
He headed downstairs to the kitchen.
His mother had already left for work at the town's ranch, where she milked the cows to help support the family.
Being part of a single-parent household, she worked hard to make ends meet.
"When I do well in the League, Mom won't have to work so hard anymore,"
Ash thought as he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.
He wasn't particularly handsome — his dark hair was always a mess — but his determination showed in his eyes.
After freshening up and making himself more alert, Ash sat down to eat the breakfast his mother had left for him.
As he ate, he thought about his journey. This world, though similar to the one from the animated series, had differences.
For one, the food here wasn't vegetarian like in the show.
Three years ago, fossil restoration technology had led to the revival of extinct animals, making meat products widely available again.
It was small details like this that made Ash uncertain.
Should he choose one of the traditional starters, or go with Pikachu, as the animated version had done?
"I'm full," Ash muttered, a habit he had picked up over the years.
Even though no one else was around, it felt natural to say. He cleaned up and sat on the living room couch, watching the clock as time ticked by.
After a moment of hesitation, Ash made up his mind.
He would follow the path of the animated version.
Pikachu had potential, and even if this version wasn't as strong, he was confident that he could train it to be even better than in the series.
Time passed, and soon it was after eight o'clock.
Ash remained seated, his leg bouncing nervously as the minutes dragged on. He had decided to wait, but anxiety gnawed at him.
By 8:30, Ash couldn't sit still any longer.
He leapt to his feet, deciding it was time to head to the lab. Surely, by now, most of the other trainers had already chosen their Pokémon.
Without wasting another second, Ash grabbed his bag and rushed out the door, hurrying along the familiar path toward Professor Oak's Laboratory.
The town was quiet, with hardly anyone in sight. Though it was called Pallet Town, it was more of a village — small, peaceful, and close-knit.
As Ash neared the lab, he saw a crowd of townspeople gathered outside, all watching the new trainers who had already chosen their Pokémon.
Many of them were people Ash knew well.
"Ash! Why are you so late?" an older man called out when he spotted him.
"Two people have already picked up their Pokémon and left! Gary just went in too."
Ash smiled awkwardly. He couldn't explain why he was late, so he simply lied.
"I'll be quick, I promise."
The townspeople, who had always been fond of Ash, smiled and stepped aside to let him through.
With their encouragement behind him, Ash hurried into the laboratory, ready to face whatever awaited him.
_____________
Adios