"Register and open a microblog account…?"
Ash paused for a moment, then nodded. "Sure."
In his previous life, microblogs had been the playground of fandom culture—celebrity gossip everywhere, the kind of place where heroes died unnoticed while entertainers' family matters made headlines.
But the Pokémon world was different.
People here were far more straightforward. The internet carried far less hostility, and there was none of that entertainment-above-all atmosphere. Using microblogs wasn't looked down upon, and nobody said things like "What kind of normal person uses microblogs?"
Ash usually spent more time on Trainer forums and discussion boards, but since his fans had made the request, there was no reason to put on airs.
To enemies like Team Rocket, Ash could be cold and ruthless.
To rude opponents like Harlan, he didn't hesitate to strike back with sharp words.
But toward ordinary people—his fans, friends, and family—Ash always treated them with sincerity and warmth.
"Rotom, help me register a microblog account," Ash said.
"OK~ Roto!"
"Nickname?" Rotom asked.
"Let's go with 'Ash from Pallet Town'."
"Registration complete!"
With Rotom's help, everything became incredibly easy.
"Everyone," Ash said as Rotom projected the screen, "this is my microblog. If you'd like, feel free to follow."
"Got it, got it! We'll follow right now!"
"Aaaah—Ash is so gentle!"
"Ash, you have to post more updates~ Share daily life stuff!"
The newly created account was still empty, and the follower count was only the dozen girls in front of him.
But Ash was confident—it wouldn't stay that way for long.
Right now, in the Kanto region, his name could already be considered household-famous.
It felt a little strange to call himself a celebrity—but objectively speaking, that was the truth.
After waving goodbye to the fans, Ash headed to a nearby bike shop and picked out a blue-and-white road bike.
The color choice wasn't random.
In the original anime, the previous Ash had always worn blue and white.
By choosing this color scheme, Ash wanted to leave a small tribute to his predecessor.
Having transmigrated into the Pokémon world and inherited the identity of Ash Ketchum—gaining the family, friends, and warmth he had always longed for—Ash felt both gratitude and a faint sense of guilt toward the original.
The dead were gone.
The living must cherish what they had.
Ash swore to himself that he would reach the very pinnacle of the Trainer's path—to become the strongest Trainer in the Pokémon world, a true Pokémon Master.
And he would also care for and cherish his mother even more—not just for the previous Ash, but because it was what he himself truly wanted.
"Pikachu, Frogadier, Pidgeotto—let's head home!"
On the outskirts of Viridian City, near an empty park, Ash mounted the brand-new bike he'd just bought for 1200 Poke dollars and spoke to his partners.
"Pika~ ^o^"
"Froga~ ^_^"
"Pidge~!"
Pikachu sat cross-legged in the front basket.
Frogadier took the back seat.
Pidgeotto spread its wings and circled above Ash's head.
With a cheerful ring of the bell, Ash pushed down on the pedals and sped along the asphalt road toward the city outskirts.
…
The wind blowing in from Viridian Forest rushed toward him head-on, sending dry yellow leaves skittering across the road.
Ash's open shirt fluttered loudly in the wind.
His short black hair whipped back and forth like grass bent by a gale.
The slanting sunlight painted his face in gold—clean, fair, and sharply defined.
His eyes, dark and deep like stars in the night sky, were focused straight ahead, gleaming with a captivating light.
Thick brows, a straight nose, beautifully shaped lips…
Though he was only six years old, his features already carried a striking handsomeness.
In a few more years, it was hard to imagine how many hearts he would steal.
Viridian City wasn't exactly close to Pallet Town, but thanks to Professor Oak—the League's national treasure—environmental protection in Viridian Forest was extremely strict.
A dedicated road had been built straight through the forest, connecting Viridian City and Pallet Town.
On foot, the journey took three to four days.
By bike, it took only half an hour.
After another fifteen minutes of riding through the forest, the scenery looked the same—road, trees, shadows—but Ash felt something familiar in the air.
Almost home.
Almost back to Pallet Town.
As the sun sank lower, dusk spread across the sky.
In the distance, a massive flock of bird Pokémon filled the evening clouds.
They circled, glided, dove, and soared—then suddenly gathered together like a vast black net cast across the sky.
Ash squeezed the brakes and stopped, gripping the handlebars as he quietly admired the breathtaking sight.
Pikachu and Frogadier also fell silent.
Above him, Pidgeotto spread its wings and hovered in place using the forest winds, its gaze fixed on the distant flock with a look of nostalgia.
Then—
Pidgeotto snapped out of it.
Its sharp, hawk-like eyes darted around in shock, realization flashing across its face.
"…!"
"Pidge—!!"
Looking again at the distant sky, it became clear—those weren't just birds returning to their nests.
It was a chase.
A hunt.
A desperate escape.
"PIDGEOTTO!!"
With a piercing cry, Pidgeotto beat its wings furiously and shot toward the flock at full speed.
"Pidgeotto?! What's wrong—what happened?!"
Ash was jolted out of the tranquil twilight scene.
Pidgeotto didn't answer.
It was already far away, flying as if something urgent—something terrifying—had happened.
"Pidgeotto flew straight toward the flock," Ash said sharply.
"Pikachu, Frogadier—let's follow!"
"Pika!"
"Froga!"
Ash stored the bike in his system backpack, vaulted over the roadside guardrail, and plunged into the forest. Pikachu and Frogadier followed close behind.
They didn't yet know what was happening—
But they could clearly hear it in Pidgeotto's cry.
Urgency.
Anxiety.
Fear.
Something was very wrong.
--------------
T/N:
Access Advance Chapters on my
P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals