Soon, Gary's second opponent, Xiao Chen, had also collected his first Pokémon.
Mostly because he had no choice left. There was only Squirtle, and he could take it or leave it. If he left it, he would be setting out empty-handed.
Fortunately, the adorable Squirtle was a fine choice for a beginner like Xiao Chen. He saw nothing wrong with it and happily accepted.
When Gary saw Xiao Chen coming downstairs, a small smile crossed his face. "Let's battle!"
"Sure. As a Pokémon Trainer, I won't run from a challenge." Xiao Chen had already asked around and learned that Gary had chosen Charmander.
Facing Pallet Town's number-one prodigy, Xiao Chen was itching to give it a try. Water-type against Fire-type-even a beginner like me knows I've got the advantage!
The two returned to the open area in the backyard.
"Go, Squirtle!" Xiao Chen eagerly brought out his water-spouting turtle.
"Squirtle, Squirtle!" A lively little bald-headed Squirtle appeared, patted its little head, and looked curiously around.
"In that case, I won't hold back." Gary took out a Poké Ball and tossed it. "Charmander, get ready to battle!"
"Char!" Unlike Squirtle, who was looking all over the place, Charmander had already fought one battle and fixed its gaze on its opponent the moment it appeared.
"Squirtle, strike first! Use Bubble Beam!" Xiao Chen knew a thing or two, but Squirtle clearly had little interest in cooperating.
"Squirtle~" The little bald turtle haughtily turned its head away, completely ignoring its Trainer's command.
"Huh?! How could this happen?" Xiao Chen scratched his head anxiously.
"That shouldn't happen..." Gary frowned too. Normally, even a particularly good starter Pokémon wouldn't ignore its Trainer. This Squirtle probably had exceptional potential.
Standing at the window, Professor Oak shook his head. Of course it's exceptional. I picked it out especially for you, kid-a premium specimen from the Indigo Plateau Original Pokémon Day Care.
In Professor Oak's judgment, Gary was probably the only one who could get this Squirtle to obey. He knew his own grandson well enough, after all. The boy simply couldn't be judged by a beginner's standards...
Who could have expected Gary to go off script? In the end, Xiao Chen had lucked into getting that Squirtle.
"Forget it. Overthinking won't help. Charmander, use Smokescreen!" Gary shook his head and launched his attack.
"Char!!" Charmander opened its little mouth, and a cloud of black smoke enveloped Squirtle.
"Squirtle?" Squirtle instantly used Withdraw, dropping flat where it stood.
"Quick reaction, but it won't help." Gary shook his head. "Charmander, use Growl!"
Charmander nodded and let out a series of cries into the smoke.
A blue glow immediately spread over Squirtle's body as its Attack began to fall.
"Damn it, we can't just sit here! Squirtle, come on! Use Water Gun!" Xiao Chen shouted anxiously.
"Squirtle!" Squirtle leaped straight out of the black smoke-but it used Tackle instead!
"Bring it on! Charmander, attack with your claws!" Gary met the attack head-on without a hint of fear.
Your Attack's already been lowered. What are you going to fight me with?
Smack! The two little Pokémon collided head-on. Pain shot through the bald little Squirtle's head as Charmander's claws flipped it onto its back.
A turtle Pokémon had been flipped onto its back...
Squirtle flailed its limbs in the air for a while, then simply lay flat.
It couldn't get up. It just couldn't...
"That settles it. Come back, Charmander." It was only a sparring match, so Gary hadn't gone too hard.
Charmander looked at Squirtle lying belly-up on the ground and gave it a poke, not quite satisfied yet, before swishing its tail and returning to Gary's side.
"Good job." Gary patted Charmander's head in encouragement.
"Well... I lost." Xiao Chen helped Squirtle up, then hung his head dejectedly and admitted defeat.
"Xiao Chen, don't lose heart. You just haven't earned Squirtle's respect yet. I think it could be really strong. Keep at it." Gary winked.
Xiao Chen nodded. "Right. Thank you, Gary. I'll keep working at it. See you at the Indigo League!"
After recalling Squirtle, Xiao Chen said goodbye and left as well.
Watching him leave, Gary shook his head. He hoped Xiao Chen really would make it to the Indigo League.
After all, in his previous life, the four kids from Pallet Town hadn't exactly done well.
Gary had made the top thirty-two, Ash the top sixteen, and the other two hadn't even qualified for the Indigo League.
With results like that, they had no shame...
Gary checked his mission progress. It was at 2/3. That meant there was just one person left...
He made Professor Oak a cup of coffee and himself a cup of black tea, then sat by the window and began to wait...
Zzz... zzz... By the time the sun was high in the sky, Gary was struggling to stay awake.
At last, urgent knocking came from the front door.
"Sorry!!! I'm late!!" Ash's powerful, somewhat guileless voice rang out from outside.
Gary jolted awake and jumped up. "Finally!"
After fixing his hair, Gary opened the front door and leaned casually against the frame. "Well, well~ If it isn't Ash, the class dunce~ You sure got here early~"
The moment Ash saw Gary, he bristled. "Gary, you jerk! Were you waiting here just to make fun of me?"
Gary pushed away Ash's face as he leaned in and curled his lip in distaste. "Being five hours late on such an important day is pretty spectacular. Also, you're supposed to call me Young Master Mao, got it?"
Ash obediently scratched his head. "Young Master Mao, where's my Pokémon, then?"
"Your Pokémon?" Gary shook his head, speechless. "Go inside and ask my grandpa yourself."
"Oh, right!" Only then did Ash catch on, and he dashed into the lab.
Just then, Professor Oak emerged from his research room, and Ash ran straight into him.
"Oh~ Isn't this Ash?" Professor Oak feigned surprise.
"Sorry I'm late, Professor Oak. Where's my Pokémon?" Ash held out his hands pitifully.
"Your Pokémon?" Professor Oak was so annoyed he laughed. If the Pikachu he had prepared for Ash hadn't been special, a boy this late wouldn't even get to eat crap while it was still warm...
"That's right, my Pokémon!" Ash was still dreaming of the starter Pokémon. After all, he had spent the whole night playing with them in his dreams.
"All right, come with me." Looking at the clueless Ash, Professor Oak lost the will to stay angry.
Gary followed with interest, eager to see how Professor Oak would tease Ash.
Once they reached the second floor, Professor Oak didn't bring out Pikachu right away. Instead, he opened the glass cover over the Poké Ball stand. "Take your pick, son."
Ash rubbed his hands together. "Great! I thought about it all night, and I finally decided~ I choose you, Charmander!"
Click~ He opened an empty ball~
Ash looked at Professor Oak, dumbfounded.
Professor Oak shrugged. "The first person here already took that one."
"All right, in that case, I'm fine with Squirtle too!" Undeterred, Ash reached for the second ball.
Pop! Another empty one. What a surprise! Didn't see that coming, did you?
Professor Oak spread his hands. "A child who arrived on time took that one too."
Ash sighed again. "Okay, it's my own fault for being late. In that case, Bulbasaur, you'll be my first Pokémon."
"Pfft!" Gary couldn't hold back his laughter. As Ash stared at the empty ball in his hand, the light drained from his eyes...
Professor Oak cleared his throat twice. "Ahem. Son, you need to understand that whether you're collecting a Pokémon or going through life, it's like catching a bus. Fall behind once, and you keep falling behind... A child who got here before you took this one too..."
Ash went completely stiff and toppled over in front of Gary. "Boo-hoo... How could this happen..."
"Hehe... Come on, get up. Don't try to pin that fall on me." Gary teased him with a laugh.
"Young Master Mao, I'm going to have to set out empty-handed..." Ash said pitifully.
Seeing that Ash had more or less learned his lesson, Gary finally turned to Professor Oak. "Grandpa, could you help him out?"
Professor Oak raised his eyebrows. "Hmm... I do have one more, actually, but... there's a bit of a problem..."
Hearing that he wouldn't have to tackle Pokémon bare-handed after all, Ash sprang to his feet with a kip-up!
"I'll take that one!!"
...To be continued...
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