"Misty, Misty... let me go first." Ash mulled it over and decided he was going to capture this "Caterpie".
After all, he had an upcoming challenge at the Pewter Gym, and he didn't want to go in unprepared. Having only Pikachu wasn't going to cut it.
"What are you planning to do?!"
Misty, sensing Ash's intentions, looked horrified. "Wait… are you seriously thinking about catching that Caterpie?!"
"Of course! I only have Pikachu right now, and challenging a gym with just one Pokémon would be risky. Plus, Caterpie evolves into "Butterfree", which is a great Pokémon.
It could be really useful for me right now," Ash explained, his mind set on the capture.
"But... but..." Misty stammered, biting her lip.
The thought of Ash catching Caterpie meant she would likely encounter "Bug-Type Pokémon" every day on their journey—a terrifying thought for her.
"This is also good for you!" Ash reasoned, taking advantage of the moment when Misty let her guard down.
He turned to her, looking into her eyes. "I know overcoming your fear won't be easy, but if I capture Caterpie, you'll be around it daily. With time, you'll be able to conquer your fear."
Misty, though still frazzled, heard Ash's words and realized that her fear could hold them back.
As much as she hated it, Ash was right—Caterpie would be a good training option for him, and she couldn't let her phobia stand in the way.
"Alright, alright..." Misty finally relented, stepping back quickly to put as much distance between herself and Caterpie as possible.
She clearly didn't want to be anywhere near it.
"Great! Let's do this!" Ash sighed in relief, then turned his attention back to Caterpie.
However, it seemed the little Bug-type had figured out what was going on and was starting to make a run for it.
"Oh no, you're not getting away! Pikachu, let's go!" Ash commanded, signaling Pikachu to engage.
"Pika-pika!" Pikachu charged forward, ready for its first real battle encounter. Despite Caterpie being a common opponent, Pikachu was determined to prove itself.
"Pieee...!" Caterpie squeaked nervously, taking a few steps back.
Living in the forest had taught it to recognize when a battle was about to go down, and it seemed to understand that Ash planned to capture it.
"Alright, if you won't make the first move, we will! Pikachu, use "Quick Attack!" Ash called out.
With a gleam in its eyes, Pikachu's body was enveloped in a translucent white light as it dashed forward with incredible speed.
"Caterpie!" Startled, Caterpie reacted by spitting out a web of "String Shot", a basic move many Bug-types use. The white thread shot toward Pikachu, intending to slow it down.
The String Shot may have been a smart move, but Pikachu, enhanced by Quick Attack, was far too fast.
It easily dodged the sticky web, zigzagging left and right before slamming into Caterpie headfirst.
"Bang!"
The force of the impact sent Caterpie flying several meters, where it skidded along the ground.
Though both Pokémon were roughly at the "Starter" level, Pikachu was clearly stronger, nearly on the verge of breaking through to the "Normal" level.
Caterpie was significantly weakened, and Ash knew it wasn't going to last much longer.
"Let's finish this! Pikachu, use "Thunder Shock"!" Ash commanded.
He wasn't about to risk losing Caterpie. Poké Balls cost 200 units of currency each—wasting one would be a costly mistake.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu's cheeks sparked, sending out a bolt of electricity toward Caterpie.
Seeing the attack, Caterpie panicked. In desperation, it launched itself into the air by using the back half of its body to push off the ground, barely avoiding the Thunder Shock.
"What?!" Ash, Pikachu, and even Misty gasped in surprise. They hadn't expected Caterpie to pull off such a maneuver and dodge Pikachu's attack.
In midair, Caterpie quickly spat out another "String Shot", attaching itself to a tree. Using the silk thread, it swung away, trying to escape.
"Don't let it get away! Pikachu, use Thunder Shock again!"
Ash ordered, determined not to let Caterpie slip through his fingers.
Pikachu trotted forward and sent another electric bolt flying through the air. The golden sparks crackled as they surged toward Caterpie.
But then, out of nowhere, a black blur shot out from the nearby bushes.
The shadow collided with the Thunder Shock, letting out a pained cry before crashing to the ground, smoke rising from its body.
It was clear that it had been knocked out by the attack.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Caterpie used its String Shot to pull itself into the trees, disappearing from sight.
Ash stood there in disbelief. He had been so focused on capturing Caterpie, but now, lying before him was a completely different Pokémon.
"A Pidgey?!"
Ash muttered in astonishment. He had been aiming to capture Caterpie, but now there was a Pidgey knocked out in front of him instead.
Pikachu was equally surprised, frozen in place, while Misty watched with wide eyes. This kind of thing had never happened to her before.
"So... do I capture Pidgey now?"
Ash wondered aloud, looking down at the unconscious bird Pokémon. It would be an easy catch—Pidgey had no energy left to resist.
"Pidgey isn't a bad choice,"
Ash mused. "But it's just so strange… I passed up a Pidgey before, and now I run into another one in the Viridian Forest..."
___________
Adios