After collecting the feather left by the Ho-Oh, Ash carefully tucked it into the pocket closest to his heart. "Don't flaunt this treasure," he reminded himself. "If anyone finds out, it could cause serious trouble."
"Alright, let's see what this Time Capsule is about," Ash muttered. He pulled a mysterious object from his system's storage—something resembling a Poké Ball.
It looked, smelled, and felt like a Poké Ball—but the label read Time Capsule.
"Ding! The Time Capsule originates from the future. When opened, a specific Pokémon will return to the host. This Pokémon cannot be released, discarded, or traded. Following the principle of conservation of energy, this Pokémon will not exist in the same timeline again."
Ash's hand trembled slightly as he asked, "So... it's Pidgeot in here, right?"
"Ding! Correct. This Time Capsule was fixed in the Viridian Forest."
With a determined nod, Ash raised the capsule. "Well, no point in waiting. Come back, Pidgeot!" His familiar motion of throwing the capsule into the air was as natural as breathing.
"Caww!" A powerful cry echoed as a golden-crested Pidgeot emerged, its massive wings flapping with majesty. Towering above Ash, it was clear: Pidgeot had returned.
"I'm sorry I made you wait for so long," Ash said softly, stepping forward to embrace his old partner.
"Caww..." (It's okay. I've been waiting for the day we could be together again...) Pidgeot nuzzled its beak against Ash's chest affectionately, its behavior as gentle as ever.
"Pika?" Pikachu tilted its head, staring at the towering bird. Despite its unfamiliarity, Pikachu couldn't shake the feeling of recognition.
"Pikachu, this is Pidgeot," Ash explained, gently patting its sleek wing. "Our trusted partner from the future. It's been through a lot."
Checking Pidgeot's stats, Ash frowned thoughtfully.
[Pidgeot – The Bird Pokémon]
Type: Normal/Flying
Level: 38 (Ordinary Level)
Abilities: Keen Eye
Moves: Quick Attack, Gust, Feather Dance, Twister, Agility, Hurricane, Wing Attack
Genetic Move: Air Slash
"I'll be relying on you from now on," Ash said, returning Pidgeot to its Poké Ball. Though its level was impressive for this stage, Ash couldn't help but worry. Pidgeot had returned after the Indigo Plateau, meaning they'd need intense training to bring it up to Elite Level before tackling a full region.
"It seems my defeat at the Indigo League was unavoidable," Ash muttered. "This time, I'll start training my Pokémon the right way from the beginning."
---
Suddenly, a voice interrupted Ash's thoughts.
"Hello there!" A girl with a single ponytail approached.
"Hi, I'm Ash from Pallet Town. Can I help you?" He smiled politely, his easy charm making the girl's heart flutter.
The girl, who was carrying a shiny bicycle, had an uncertain look in her eyes. "I'm Misty. I, uh... kind of lost track of time while fishing, and now it's dark. Would you mind if we traveled together?"
Ash glanced at her bike. "Sure, but wouldn't your bike make things easier for you?"
"Actually," Misty said quickly, "I was hoping you could ride it... with me."
"Ding! Dream Points +50." The system's notification nearly made Ash laugh. Who knew bikes carried so much emotional baggage?
"Oh, alright," Ash said, trying not to overthink it. He placed Pikachu in the front basket, hopped on, and motioned for Misty to join him.
Misty blushed as she climbed onto the back. "Uh, I might hold on a bit tightly... it's dark, you know?"
"You're holding on a bit too tight..." Ash grumbled.
---
Arriving at Viridian City, they were greeted by Officer Jenny, who checked their IDs and warned them about recent Team Rocket activity. The familiar "Wanted" poster fluttering in the background made Ash smirk—he recognized that balloon anywhere.
As Jenny rode off in hot pursuit of Team Rocket, Ash and Misty continued to the Pokémon Center. There, Nurse Joy admitted Pikachu, who was weak and low on energy. As Pikachu was being treated, Ash called his mom and later spoke with Professor Oak, who was predictably more excited about the Ho-Oh photo than Ash's journey.
---
Later that night, chaos erupted at the Pokémon Center.
The alarms blared. A familiar motto echoed in the hallways. "Prepare for trouble... and make it double!"
Ash couldn't help but clap sarcastically. "The classic first-season motto. Took you long enough, Team Rocket!"
Jessie and James gawked. "Uh, are we... being mocked?"
Meowth growled, leaping forward with its claws. "You've got a big mouth for a kid!" But Ash dodged effortlessly, landing in a crouch.
"Alright, enough games. Pikachu, light up the room!" Ash's Pikachu summoned every Pikachu in the building, the group generating a dazzling surge of electricity that left Team Rocket stumbling.
"Pidgeot, Hurricane!" Ash called out. Pidgeot whipped up a storm, blowing away Team Rocket's smoke screen and sending them flying.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"
---
That night, as Ash sat with Misty and Pikachu, he thought about what lay ahead. His journey had barely begun, but he was ready to face anything with his Pokémon by his side.