Chapter 1: The Reclusive Boy on Mt. Silver
Mt. Silver. A boy slowly made his way deeper into the mountain.
Beside him walked a beast-like Pokémon with a mix of yellow and blue fur. Heat radiated from its back, sending wisps of smoke into the cold air, providing warmth for its Trainer.
Unlike the forested and rocky terrain at the mountain's base, the deepest part of Mt. Silver was a vast, snowy expanse—bright white and strangely empty.
A towering snow-covered peak loomed ahead, with fresh snow falling all around.
As he pressed forward, the boy finally reached his destination.
The summit of Mt. Silver.
A man in a red cap sat atop a high ledge, his back turned to the boy.
Dressed simply, he had the air of a lone ascetic, silently meditating.
This was Gold. After becoming the Johto League Champion, he had learned a secret—
A rumor of someone far stronger than any Champion, training in solitude on Mt. Silver.
Gold had often heard the stories during his travels through Kanto.
Defeating all eight Gym Leaders.
Dismantling Team Rocket.
Overcoming the League Champion.
A living legend.
"Hey! Battle me!"
Gold raised a Poké Ball, shouting loudly.
His Typhlosion stood tall, claws clenched, back arched. A surge of flames erupted from its body, brighter and fiercer than ever before.
The mysterious man: "..."
He turned around, his expression cold, his eyes devoid of emotion.
Ever since Green had exposed his whereabouts, countless Trainers had sought him out—hoping to defeat him and make a name for themselves.
Yet, to this day, no one had ever forced him to use a second Pokémon.
Maybe it was the isolation of the snowy mountain.
Maybe it was because he had reached a level far beyond ordinary Trainers—too high, too cold.
He had grown stronger.
And lonelier.
But today, the arrival of this boy made his gaze shift ever so slightly. It felt like fate had led them to this battle.
"Come."
He spoke his first words in years, his voice cold and mechanical.
With that, he tossed out a Poké Ball. A flash of red light, and a small, round-faced electric mouse appeared in the snow.
"Pikachu—an extremely common Pokémon, nothing special."
The Pokédex announced automatically.
"Then try this one!"
Gold threw out his own Poké Ball.
In the next instant, a massive figure emerged atop the snowy mountain.
The falling snow seemed to freeze in midair, as if the sheer pressure had locked the entire battlefield in place.
Silver-white skin. A sleek, towering body—part beast, part bird. Wide wings that looked like giant hands.
The Guardian of the Seas—Lugia!
"..."
His eyes gleamed.
In front of him, Pikachu licked its lips, golden electricity crackling violently from its cheeks.
The battle was about to erupt.
"...So, is Lugia popular now?"
Neither of the two battling Trainers noticed the faint figure floating above them.
Calm eyes watched the fight in silence. The figure's face bore a striking resemblance to the mysterious boy below.
It looked like a ghost—
Or something beyond this world.
His name was Red.
Just hours ago, Red had been training his willpower in the icy wilderness.
Then—
He awakened.
Red realized the truth. He was nothing more than a fictional game character.
He remembered receiving his first Pokémon from Professor Oak.
His first Gym battle.
His first rivalry with Green.
His battles against Team Rocket.
His victories over the Elite Four.
Even the memories of traveling to Alola with Blue and Leaf—he still had them.
But the details?
They were nonexistent.
At that moment, Red understood.
This world was nothing more than a digital illusion, a script written in code.
No matter how powerful he had become, he was just an ordinary puppet—
A mere program following a predetermined story.
And when he realized this, he transcended. His soul separated from his body.
Though… could a mere string of code even be called a soul?
Now, he stood before his own physical shell, watching as it battled—
The final boss of this world, facing off against the protagonist of a new era.
This was the ultimate showdown!
Freed from his chains, Red found himself wishing he had a bucket of popcorn.
The battle below raged on. Pikachu clashed against Lugia—golden lightning colliding with explosive shockwaves. The sheer force cracked the base of Mt. Silver, yet the match remained evenly tied.
Next came Snorlax versus a strange red Gyarados.
Venusaur against Entei.
Lapras against Suicune.
Charizard against Ho-Oh.
Watching this, Red felt a shiver run down his spine.
Since when did players love using Legendary Pokémon so much?
How shallow.
A true Trainer raised ordinary Pokémon into champions—
That was real strength.
At last, Gold's ace entered the battlefield—Typhlosion.
Flames erupted from its back, roaring like a volcanic eruption. The temperature across Mt. Silver rose noticeably.
"Go, Mewtwo!"
Red's puppet self threw out his final Pokémon.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The battle shook the heavens. When Gold finally managed a hard-earned victory, the puppet Red let out a quiet laugh.
"..."
It was a laugh of release.
Then, he turned away—
And fell into an eerie silence.
At that moment, a blinding white light burst from the peak of Mt. Silver.
Gold shielded his eyes, blinded as the radiance consumed everything.
And when the light faded—
The puppet Red was gone.
This was the ultimate battle.
And also—
The final curtain call.
Red had completed every task in this world. Naturally, he disappeared.
The Red floating above knew—if he hadn't awakened to the truth, he would have vanished along with his body.
"So… where do I go now?"
He felt lost.
He was an existence that no longer belonged anywhere.
Just then, he sensed something—a vortex forming at the edge of the sky, pulling at his soul.
The world around him began to fade, its colors draining away. Black and white swallowed everything.
Then—darkness.
His consciousness blurred as he was pulled in.
When Red awoke again, bright light stung his eyes.
He looked around.
A vast forest surrounded him.
It looked similar to the forests he had traveled through before, yet something felt… different.
It was alive.
A realization struck him—this was a real world.
"I… crossed over?"
He glanced down at himself. He was still in his spirit form. With a thought, he floated up effortlessly.
"Chirp! Chirp!!"
Before he could decide his next move, frantic bird cries rang out from the trees.
A massive flock of Spearow burst from the foliage, darkening the sky as they rushed in a single direction.
"???"
Red was intrigued. Instinctively, he willed his spirit form to drift in that direction.
By now, the sky had opened up, heavy rain pouring down.
From a high cliff, he spotted a boy pedaling furiously on a bicycle.
In the front basket lay a battered Pikachu, barely clinging to consciousness—
A flickering candle in the wind.
"A rookie Trainer pissed off a Spearow, got the whole flock on his tail, and now his Pokémon is on the verge of collapse?"
Red guessed.
He wanted to help, but as a spirit, he had no way of intervening. He could only watch.
SPLASH!
The bike hit a muddy bump—
The boy lost control.
Both he and the bike crashed to the ground.
Pikachu, already half-dead, was flung several meters before landing in the wet dirt.
And then—
The swarm of Spearow closed in.
Circling overhead, wings cutting through the storm, ready to strike.
"..."
Red's eyes widened.
If only he had a bucket of popcorn.
This was top-tier entertainment.
Maybe crossing over wasn't so bad.
But then—
The boy, still carrying the softness of youth on his face, trembled as he stood.
Throwing his arms wide, he shielded Pikachu with his body.
"Hey! What do you take me for?!"
"I'm gonna be a Pokémon Master!"
He roared with all his might.
Then, lowering his voice, he muttered, "Pikachu, hurry, get in the Poké Ball..."
It was obvious—his bravado was just an act.
But the Spearow didn't care.
The next second, they shrieked and dove in for the attack!
Every year, countless rookie Trainers met their end like this.
It was nothing unusual.
Red, though slightly sympathetic, simply watched in silence.
"Pika..."
Then, something unexpected happened.
The battered Pikachu twitched—then staggered to its feet.
Its tiny body swayed, but instead of retreating—
It ran.
"Chu!"
Using Ash's body as a launchpad, it leaped onto his shoulder.
Ash's eyes widened in shock.
And then—Pikachu kicked off, soaring toward the sky—straight into the heart of the Spearow swarm.
Against the vast flock, its small frame looked impossibly fragile.
"PIKA—!!!"
And then, with a fierce cry—
In the next instant, with a fierce cry—
A terrifying surge of electricity erupted from Pikachu's cheeks, engulfing its small body in golden lightning.
"BOOOOOM!"
A thick bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky, merging with Pikachu's electric surge.
The impact was overwhelming.
Every single Spearow was caught in the blast, their shrieks lost in the crackling storm.
The force didn't stop there—it shot upward, piercing through the dark storm clouds, blasting open a gaping hole of clear sky.
BOOOOOM!
The blinding light forced Red to shut his eyes.
Before the thunderclap even reached his ears, he felt something terrifying—
A pull.
An irresistible force dragged at him, yanking his ghostly form straight toward the eye of the storm.
"cout<<"gan!"< That was his last thought.
"Guh-guh-guh..."
As the lightning faded, the remaining Spearow were too stunned to fight.
Panicked, they flapped wildly and fled back into the forest.
The boy and his exhausted Pikachu collapsed in the mud, staring at each other.
In that moment, they understood one another completely.
The storm cleared.
Sunlight broke through the clouds, painting the sky in soft golden hues.
A brilliant rainbow stretched across the horizon.
And then—
A magnificent, radiant bird soared through the sky, its shimmering feathers glowing in a cascade of colors.
Glowing specks drifted down like sacred embers, their warmth seeping into the battered duo, gently restoring their strength.
Slowly, they sat up, gazing in awe at the sky.
"What... What Pokémon is that?"
Chapter 2: Who Are You?
"Who's there!?"
Ash jumped in shock at the sudden voice, but after glancing around, he realized he was the only one here.
A ghost?
Oh, right—there was also a completely burnt-out bicycle beside him, looking more like a scrap than an actual bike.
"Wait, whose bike is this?"
Ash vaguely remembered grabbing a random bicycle in a moment of panic. As for the original owner…
No clue.
He seemed to recall being near a river at the time and spotting a really cool-looking blue dragon. Maybe he should head back and check it out?
Meanwhile, Red found himself in a rather mysterious space.
The surroundings were a hazy gray, yet he could clearly sense this strange boy's thoughts—seamlessly connected, as if their minds were linked.
However, the way Ash's thoughts constantly bounced from one random idea to the next made Red's scalp tingle. Was this how much humans actually thought about?
If he didn't interrupt, who knew just how far this guy's thoughts would derail? Finally, Red couldn't help but speak up:
"Pokémon Center."
That voice startled Ash again.
He was so careless that he finally came to his senses. The treatment of the Ho-Oh was not omnipotent. The most important thing now was to go to the Pokémon Center first.
If Pikachu ended up developing some kind of lingering injury—like arthritis in the future—that would be a huge problem.
Whether he was possessed or not, Ash shoved the Rainbow Feather into his pocket, scooped up Pikachu, and dashed off in a random direction.
As for where exactly he was headed…
He had no idea where he was going, but as long as he ran in the direction Ho-Oh had flown off, it should be fine.
Viridian City – Pokémon Center
Ash handed Pikachu over to Nurse Joy.
Somehow, after all that aimless running, he had actually made it out of the forest and stumbled into a big city.
Under Nurse Joy's guidance, he took out his Pokédex and registered as a Trainer. Now, he could enjoy the many benefits provided by the Pokémon League for trainers—
Like free use of the Pokémon Center's facilities, free medical treatment, and even free lodging.
After all, Pokémon Centers were a nationwide—no, a worldwide—chain.
"Ding~ ding~ ding ding ding~"
Before long, Pikachu returned, wrapped in a few bandages. Aside from some minor injuries, he seemed to be in good shape.
According to Nurse Joy, the situation had been critical. If Ash had brought him in any later, Pikachu's wounds might have already started healing improperly.
"Pika!"
The moment Pikachu saw Ash again, his eyes lit up. He leaped straight onto Ash's shoulder, rubbing against him affectionately.
Ash immediately swelled with pride. For the first time, he felt like a real Pokémon Trainer. Unable to hold back his excitement, he grinned and ruffled Pikachu's head.
However, when he noticed how filthy and muddy he still was, he decided to head to the lodging area behind the Pokémon Center to take a nice, long bath.
But before that, his eyes landed on the nearby public phone, and he couldn't resist walking over to it.
The call connected, and a familiar voice came through—
"Hello, this is Ash's mom!"
Delia Ketchum.
Her nerves were even stronger than Ash's.
Ash couldn't help but boast, "Mom, I made it to Viridian City!"
"Oh, Ash! Why are you covered in mud?"
Delia, however, focused on something entirely different.
"Oh, uh… It was pouring rain in Viridian City earlier, and a passing car splashed me."
Ash didn't dare tell the truth. He quickly pressed his bandaged Pikachu down onto his lap—if his mom saw, she'd definitely start nagging him again.
"You're always so reckless! A boy traveling alone needs to be careful! Remember to wear—"
Even with his cover-up, Delia launched into a long-winded lecture.
As she rambled on, she suddenly seemed to recall something, and a hint of pride appeared on her face.
"But you reaching Viridian City in just one day is truly impressive! Back in the day, your father took several days to get there."
Ash blinked in confusion. His father was someone he hadn't thought about in a long time.
"Anyway! You have to become an even stronger Trainer than your father and grandfather. Keep at it, Ash!"
With that, Delia ended the call.
Ash set the phone down and was finally ready to take that bath.
As he turned, his eyes landed on a section of the Pokémon Center's wall, where a mural depicted four Pokémon-like totems.
Three of them were bird-like creatures, and one bore a striking resemblance to the rainbow-colored bird he had encountered earlier.
So Fearow was that famous?
Scratching his head, he silently wondered.
"Beep—beep—beep."
At that moment, the phone beside him suddenly rang.
Ash looked around—there was no one else nearby. Hesitantly, he picked up the receiver.
On the video screen, an elderly man with gray hair and a white lab coat appeared. His serious expression carried a hint of absentmindedness.
It was none other than Professor Oak, the one who had given Ash his starter Pokémon, Pikachu.
"Oh, Ash! I heard from your mother that you've already arrived in Viridian City, so I thought I'd give you a call."
Ash grinned proudly and nodded.
"Mm-hmm!"
"To be honest, I didn't have very high expectations for you… but casting a wide net always catches something good. The better you perform, the prouder I'll be."
Professor Oak rambled on, seemingly talking to himself.
Ash's eyebrow twitched. He was seriously tempted to hang up.
"By the way, how many Pokémon have you caught so far?"
Hearing this, Ash stiffened, instinctively taking a few steps back, unable to meet Oak's gaze directly.
But in the end, he had no choice but to answer, forcing himself to respond, "Uhh… less than 30?"
Professor Oak's expression shifted instantly—his disappointment came at lightning speed.
"You never fail to disappoint when it comes to being disappointing."
Ash hurriedly tried to change the subject.
"But! I saw this amazing Fearow! It looked just like the symbol on this mural!"
"Pfft, a common Fearow? And besides, the Pokémon on that mural are extremely rare. A beginner like you could never—"
Before he could finish, Professor Oak's jaw suddenly dropped, his eyes widening in utter shock.
Professor Oak's expression twisted in disbelief. His wide eyes nearly bulged out of the screen.
Because Ash had just pulled out a shimmering, rainbow-colored feather, holding it up as proof.
"I'm serious! It was an awesome Fearow! A little bald, though… Oh, and this is one of its feathers!"
Professor Oak: "!!!"
Even through the screen, he could feel the mysterious, sacred glow emanating from the feather.
It radiated a dazzling spectrum of colors, as if it had its own built-in filter. There was no way this belonged to an ordinary Pokémon.
This kid… had actually stumbled across a Legendary Pokémon?!
Oak's face shifted again, his reaction speed even faster than before.
"Ash, my boy, you're a very good child. How about you mail that feather to me so I can… take a closer look?"
"Oh wow, bad signal here! Gotta go!"
Ash immediately looked up at the ceiling, pretending to struggle with static before hanging up.
No way he was getting tricked that easily!
With that, he tucked the Rainbow Feather safely away and finally headed off for his bath.
—
Not long after Ash left, a girl with short, orange hair tied into a side ponytail dragged herself into the Pokémon Center, drenched in sweat.
On her back, she carried a completely wrecked bicycle—twisted, scorched, and looking more like a dried-up Magikarp than an actual bike.
She scanned the area, searching for someone.
When she found no sign of her target, she huffed in frustration and dumped the ruined bike onto the floor.
Then, without hesitation, she stormed toward the inner rooms, puffing her cheeks in anger.
Getting her bike stolen out of nowhere was bad enough. But to have it utterly destroyed on top of that?!
Even the most laid-back Slowpoke would be furious!
"I won't let you get away with this, Trainer with the Pikachu!"
The girl named Misty swore to herself.
—
That night, Ash and Pikachu were fast asleep.
It was his first night as a Pokémon Trainer, and the moment his head hit the pillow, he was out cold.
He slept soundly, sprawled out in a completely ungraceful position.
Beside him, Pikachu was in the same state. After just one day together, the two had already synced up, even in their sleeping habits.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Ash shot upright like a zombie, his upper body jerking into a sitting position.
His eyes were blank as he stared at his own hands in confusion.
"Pika!?"
Pikachu's ears perked up instantly. The little yellow Pokémon lifted its head, eyes sharp and wary.
Sparks of electricity crackled on its cheeks.
Pokémon were different from humans—they had an innate sense for changes in their surroundings.
Ash still looked the same, but Pikachu could tell immediately.
This wasn't the reckless, loud-mouthed Trainer it had bonded with.
This was someone else.
Red: "…"
At that moment, the one controlling Ash's body was none other than Red—the mysterious presence that had somehow been drawn into him.
He closed his eyes, feeling everything around him. The sensation of air brushing against his skin… the weight of a real, living body…
It was different.
It was proof—proof that his past self had been nothing more than a fictional, digital existence.
'How ridiculous,' Red muttered to himself.
'But then again, maybe this boy named Ash is also fictional… Maybe I've just moved up to a higher level of a fabricated world.'
"Pika!"
The sharp cry beside him snapped Red out of his thoughts.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he was met with the sight of a Pikachu baring its teeth at him.
Red had a Pikachu of his own, so he knew very well—when a Pikachu did this, it meant an attack was coming.
"I mean no harm."
It wasn't a big deal. Red smiled and slowly reached out, placing his palm against Pikachu's cheek.
To his surprise, the little Pokémon gradually lowered its guard under his touch. Instead of attacking, Pikachu hesitated, then lightly licked Red's palm.
Pokémon had a special ability to sense a person's intentions, to distinguish good from evil.
Red was experienced when it came to handling electric mice, but this feeling—touching a real, living Pokémon—was something completely new to him.
"So this is what a real Pokémon feels like…"
Murmuring to himself, Red pulled Pikachu into a hug.
If Ash were to suddenly wake up and see this, he'd probably cough up blood.
After all, he had nearly risked his life just to earn Pikachu's trust.
And now, some random stranger had stolen that bond in mere seconds?
"Let's take a walk."
Red scratched Pikachu's chin. Pikachu twitched its ears in understanding before leaping onto his shoulder, and together, the two quietly stepped out of the room.
Red didn't know how long this state would last, but while he had the chance, he wanted to see this real world with his own eyes.
Just as Red stepped out of the room—
Bang!
The door across from him swung open at the same time.
A short-haired girl with orange hair stormed out.
Their eyes met.
"!"
Misty exploded on the spot, her eyes widening like a tiger spotting its prey. She pointed at him and roared, "You! The bike thief! I finally caught you!"
Then, she watched in disbelief as the boy simply turned away and continued toward the Pokémon Center's entrance, not even sparing her a glance.
"What the—!?"
Somehow, getting her bike stolen wasn't the most infuriating part. The worst part was that the thief had the audacity to completely ignore her?!
Was he for real?!
Gritting her teeth, Misty lunged forward, hand outstretched to grab his sleeve.
Tap.
Before she could even touch him, Red moved first. His hand shot out and caught her wrist with precise control.
Only then did he turn his head slightly. His gaze was cold, devoid of any emotion, carrying an undeniable warning: Stay back.
"Who are you?"
Misty: "???"
It hadn't even been 24 hours, and he was already acting like he didn't know her?!
Chapter 3: Why Not Join Team Rocket?
Misty was so furious she nearly passed out. How could anyone be this shameless?!
"You! You stole my bike today!"
She pointed at him, righteous fury in her voice.
"You've got the wrong person."
Red barely glanced at her, his tone indifferent.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he shook off her grip and kept walking as if she wasn't even there.
Just another scammer looking for trouble.
He still remembered how, back in his world, plenty of rookie trainers had sent their little Rattata to attack his Charizard. The poor things would charge headfirst into Charizard's rock-hard belly, knock themselves out, and then their trainers would demand he pay their medical bills.
Come to think of it, this girl kinda looked like the second Gym Leader from his world.
Younger, though.
But Red was terrible with faces. If she wasn't wearing a swimsuit, he wouldn't recognize her.
What he didn't realize was that, in this world, he looked like nothing more than a clueless rookie trainer. Nobody would try to scam him.
"You—!"
Misty trembled with rage, her finger still pointing at his back. She stood frozen until he disappeared into the night.
Then, it hit her.
The police!
Yes! I'll report him! This lawless thief can't just walk away from this!
Officer Jenny was right next door anyway!
The Pokémon Center lobby was nearly empty at this late hour.
Red walked in and immediately noticed a charred, barely recognizable bicycle lying near the entrance.
"Who left this junk here?"
He shook his head and stepped over it, barely giving it a second glance. His real focus was on the computer nearby.
"Please..."
He muttered under his breath, voice calm yet tinged with a rare mix of excitement and desperation.
Sweat trickled down his forehead as he reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he navigated to the Pokémon storage system.
"Ash's PC."
"Red's PC."
The moment he saw the second name, it was as if his entire existence had been validated.
He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this kind of exhilaration.
Maybe it was back when he had walked into the Indigo Plateau Champion's chamber and absolutely wrecked Blue—who had been Champion for all of three minutes?
He clicked on the option, and there they were—his Pokémon, still lined up just as he had left them.
For a brief moment, he nearly let out a victorious shout.
But then, all at once, the excitement drained from him.
He just stared at the screen, silent. His eyes burned, his vision blurred slightly.
Even if he had learned that he was just a game character…
His Pokémon—his partners—were real to him.
And nothing could ever change that.
If he could travel between worlds like this, but his Pokémon were to remain forever locked away in another… then he would rather not have come here at all.
Click!
Without hesitation, Red selected one of his Pokémon and attempted to transfer it into his active party.
Bzzt—!
With a flicker of static from the teleportation system, a Poké Ball materialized in his grasp.
Feeling its familiar weight, he took a deep breath, then threw it forward.
"Come out."
A burst of light filled the Pokémon Center lobby.
A second Pikachu appeared on the floor—not just any Pikachu, but his Pikachu.
Unlike the one perched on his shoulder, this Pikachu had darker fur and a distinctly rounder face. Its eyes gleamed with a sharp intelligence, and a subtle but undeniable aura of power radiated from its small frame.
An experienced veteran.
The round-faced Pikachu blinked, its ears twitching as it surveyed its surroundings, adjusting to this unfamiliar world.
"Pika?"
Ash's Pikachu hopped down from Red's shoulder, landing lightly in front of its counterpart.
The two locked eyes.
Then, in perfect sync, they turned away from each other and tapped their tails together.
In that single, silent gesture, a message was exchanged—an understanding between electric types.
'This one's a legend.'
Even without words, Ash's Pikachu could tell—this newcomer was on an entirely different level.
'A true veteran.'
"Huh?"
Misty finally arrived at the lobby, panting slightly from her chase. But the moment she laid eyes on the scene in front of her, she froze.
She rubbed her eyes, as if trying to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
Why were there… two Pikachu?
Had the thief somehow mastered high-level moves like Double Team already?!
Even so, that was no excuse for stealing her bike!
Fueled by righteous fury, Misty stormed forward, ready to unleash a justice combo on the culprit.
Crash!
Before she could take another step, the sound of shattering glass exploded from above.
Three figures dramatically burst through the Pokémon Center's rooftop, landing in flawless formation.
The first was a woman with long, flaming-red hair—clearly the result of maximum-strength hair gel.
Beside her stood a man with a seaweed-blue hairstyle, his uniform proudly displaying a large red "R," the unmistakable mark of a certain multinational organization.
And completing the trio—a bizarre bipedal Meowth, its sharp eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Who are you?!"
Misty instinctively shouted.
That seemed to trigger some kind of pre-programmed response, because the trio immediately snapped into motion—
Like a well-oiled machine, they began their familiar chant, their words firing off like bullets:
"Since you've so sincerely asked—!"
"Prepare for trouble!"
"Make it double!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all peoples within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, that's right!"
"***"
"***"
For a moment, the entire Pokémon Center fell into an awkward silence. It was so quiet that even the air felt frozen.
Clap, clap, clap!
Just as the silence became unbearable, Red suddenly started clapping, breaking the tension.
'So… this is how people in this world act?'
'Do they always perform like this when they meet someone?'
'Should I come up with my own entrance speech too?'
'What if someone realizes I don't belong here? That I'm just some clueless outsider?'
Red pondered to himself.
"You've got great taste, kid!"
"How about joining Team Rocket?"
Jessie and James immediately warmed up to the boy, clearly impressed by him.
'Team Rocket?'
Hearing this, Red hesitated.
In his game world, Team Rocket was an evil organization he had single-handedly taken down—with nothing but himself and a little electric mouse.
Even their boss, Giovanni, had been defeated by him.
'I can't believe Team Rocket exists in this world too.'
'Are they expanding their business across dimensions now?'
"You're the ones stealing other people's Pokémon, aren't you?"
At that moment, Misty suddenly stepped forward and shouted righteously.
There was a wanted poster of the three at the Pokémon Center entrance. After calling them out, she added with a hint of sarcasm:
"That's even worse than a bike thief! Don't you think so, trainer with the Pikachu?"
Red: "???"
'If your bike got stolen, go find Officer Jenny! Why do you keep blaming me, a random passerby?'
'Wait… did she figure out I'm not from this world?'
Before Red could respond, Team Rocket had already jumped in.
Jessie lifted her head proudly, nostrils flaring.
"Hey, little girl, don't compare Team Rocket to some petty thieves!"
James crossed his arms and playfully teased, "Tsk, tsk. A brat who hasn't even finished growing dares to insult the great Team Rocket?"
Meowth extended its claws, wearing a menacing expression, looking ready to pounce.
"Don't underestimate us, kid, meow!"
"You… you… you…"
Misty's face flushed red with anger. She couldn't find the words to argue back.
'Also, what's with that James guy? Why is he constantly rubbing his own chest?'
"Shoo, shoo! Don't get in the way of the grown-ups working here."
"There must be tons of Pokémon in this place. Let's grab them all for the glory of Team Rocket!"
Team Rocket's trio was already scanning the area, looking for where the Poké Balls were stored.
Misty quickly shoved Red forward.
"Trainer with the Pikachu, hurry up and defeat them!"
Red: "?"
'I'm just a random bystander using someone else's body. Shouldn't I just be watching from the sidelines?'
"Oh? So the sharp-eyed kid wants to get involved?"
"We admire you, but if you interfere, don't blame us for being ruthless."
"With just those two common Pikachu? Meowth is laughing! What can an electric rodent even do?"
"!"
Red had been planning to stay out of it. But hearing them badmouth Pikachu?
His expression darkened, irritation bubbling up.
He was a hardcore Pikachu fan.
'Fine, let's see what battles in this world are like.'
'Just this once!'