The big screen flickered and, with a couple of beeps, filled with the image of the most famous trainer in the world.
Ash Ketchum—older, a little taller, fit but nothing compared to the walking mountain range that was most women here—smiled at us, his energy as bright as ever. Pikachu perched on his head, looking smug and perfectly at home.
I couldn’t help thinking, He’s just…normal. Not scrawny, not supermodel, just…an athlete who runs a lot. Honestly? After all the amazons I’d seen, it was almost disappointing…almost.
“Hello, Professor Oak!” Ash waved, eyes shining.
Professor Oak nodded, businesslike. “Alright, Ash. Thanks for making time. Did you manage to get Nurse Joy to run those blood samples and ocular exams on your Pokémon?”
Ash nodded. “Yep! Sent you everything just now. Pikachu was a little grumpy about the eye drops, but he’s good!”
Sonia grinned, muttering to me, “He’s still the same Ash, just with more badges.”
Nemona practically vibrated beside me, starstruck. “He’s so cool… He’s really real…”
Oak looked over to Sonia, who was already pulling up files, images, and charts on the side monitor.
“Let’s see what the data says,” Sonia said, fingers flying.
Ash waited patiently, Pikachu’s tail flicking, both of them radiating the casual confidence of people who’d met gods and walked away with a new hat.
My whole team leaned in to watch. Even Machoke looked impressed.
Both professors were hunched over the screens, data flashing as Sonia scrolled through the results. Ash, seeing me on the other side of the video call, smiled his signature sunshine grin.
“Hey, you a trainer too?” he asked, Pikachu waving from his head.
I rubbed the back of my neck, sheepish. “A newbie… kinda forced into it, actually. And, uh, the reason Professor Oak and Sonia asked you for all those samples and exams—well, it’s a long story. I’ll explain everything if—”
“FOUND ONE!” Sonia suddenly shouted, startling everyone in the room.
I snapped to attention, Nemona nearly fell out of her chair, and Oak leaned in close to the display.
“Which one?” I asked.
Sonia’s eyes glinted. “Ash’s Lucario.”
Ash blinked, instantly worried. “What? Is she sick? Is there something wrong?”
“No, no—” Sonia quickly reassured him, holding up both hands. “Nothing bad! She’s perfectly healthy. In fact… she’s stronger than ever. But there’s something unique about her. You might’ve noticed her eyes glowing red sometimes, right? In tough battles?”
Ash’s eyes widened in recognition. “Yeah! I thought it was just her aura going wild…”
Sonia nodded. “Nope. According to our data, Lucario is what we call an ‘Alpha Pokémon.’ Ancient bloodline, off-the-charts strength, and, uh… part of a certain quest your new friend here is on.”
Ash looked between me, Pikachu, and the professors, processing this at light speed.
Lucario’s Pokéball was already in his hand.
“Whoa. That’s…awesome! So, what does this mean for us?”
I drew a breath, meeting Ash’s gaze. “It means I have to challenge your Lucario, Ash. Not for a title… but as part of something Arceus himself put in motion.”
Ash grinned, his competitive spark lighting up. “Well then, sounds like a battle I can’t turn down.”
Nemona practically exploded with excitement.
ChatGPT a dit :
I slumped in my chair and sighed, “Well… just hop on the next plane or whatever and I’ll wait for you.” It was almost a joke, but Nemona absolutely exploded at the suggestion.
“WHA!? NONONONO, THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS! HE’S THE BEST, HE SHOULD BE THE FINAL BOSS!” she shouted, waving her hands wildly.
“Please, Nemona…” I tried to calm her down, but even Ash was nodding along with her.
“She’s kinda right,” Ash said, a little sheepish but still grinning. “As much as I’d love a battle right now, as World Champion, I can’t just go around battling random trainers out of order. There’s a… well, a protocol.”
I blinked, already seeing the writing on the wall. “So… I have to challenge the other Gym Leaders and trainers we mentioned, collect some kind of certificates or tokens until I reach your level?”
Ash smiled, giving a thumbs up. “Exactly! It’s a way to make sure you’re ready—and that you and your Pokémon have grown enough for a true Champion’s battle. Plus, you have to show a certain level of training, number of battles, that kind of thing…”
He paused, peering past the screen to count my team. “Three Pokémon only? Really?”
I protested, “Hey, you started with just a Pikachu!”
Ash laughed, nodding. “True! But, uh, there’s a protocol now. You need at least six on your roster to challenge me—and it wouldn’t hurt to catch more along the way.”
I dropped my head in my hands, exasperated. “JUST! GREAT!”
Nemona was already making lists of trainers, prepping routes, and searching for rare candies online.
Sonia patted my back. “Don’t worry, hun. You’ll get there. Besides, you’ll have the most legendary adventure anyone’s ever had!”
Machoke, Gardevoir, and Arbok each made their own determined noises of support.
The Alpha hunt was about to go global.
Ash ended the call with a gentle "see yah !". "Great ...so let's start then...who is the nearest gym leader ?" "We are at pellet town in kanto...so "
Sonia pulled up the map, zooming in on Kanto. She tapped a marker with a grin. “We’re in Pallet Town, which means the closest on your Alpha list is… Erika, Celadon City’s Gym Leader.”
Nemona leaned over her shoulder, practically vibrating. “Erika? The flower queen? I heard she’s even tougher in this world—she trains with Grass and Fairy types, right?”
Professor Oak nodded. “That’s correct. And from the footage Sonia found, her Alpha Pokémon is rumored to be a Vileplume with red glowing eyes. Celadon isn’t far—you can head there by route or by train, depending on how you want to travel.”
Sonia added, “I’d suggest stocking up in Viridian or Cerulean first, just in case. Erika’s gym… and her Vileplume… are no joke. And her gym assistants? Let’s just say they take after her.”
Machoke grinned, ready for action. Gardevoir quietly braced herself. Arbok flicked her tongue, eager to move.
Nemona gave a thumbs-up. “First stop: Celadon City! Ready, partner?”
I adjusted my bag and checked my team, heart pounding with both nerves and excitement. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
With a new goal and the first Alpha in sight, the next chapter of the journey was about to begin.
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