[Paul: It was so hard just to beat Brock. Is this the strength of the Ash from our world?]
[Ash: What do you mean, it was hard just to beat Brock? Brock is really strong!]
[Brock: Cough, cough.]
[Paul: Heh. You should learn from Parallel World Ash and see how he beats Brock!]
[Reggie: Parallel World Ash might not even get the chance to fight Brock. A year ago, the Pewter Gym Leader was Mr. Flint.]
As Paul and Reggie chatted, the white-bordered screen gradually dimmed, and the black-bordered screen slowly brightened.
Parallel World — Viridian Forest
At this moment, Ash was wandering through the forest, searching for a suitable target.
It had been a few days since he left Pallet Town, yet he still hadn't caught any new Pokémon — something completely unacceptable to him. Without enough Pokémon, he wouldn't even qualify to challenge a Gym.
He had already checked at the Pokémon Center in Viridian City — to challenge Viridian Gym's Giovanni, a Trainer needed at least three Pokémon.
Even if he counted the unhatched Pokémon Egg, he was still short by one. That meant he had to catch at least one more Pokémon in Viridian Forest.
Ash asked, "Mew, haven't you found a suitable target either?"
"Mew." Mew shrugged.
Aside from Caterpie, the forest was full of Weedle. Viridian Forest truly lived up to its reputation as a Bug-type paradise — bugs everywhere.
"If it comes down to it, Caterpie will do." Ash was ready to compromise.
He didn't have time to waste on endless searching. If he couldn't find anything rare, a Caterpie would do just fine to fill the numbers.
After all, Caterpie wasn't bad. It evolved quickly, and once it became Butterfree, it could use the three powders. If lucky, it might even learn Confusion — definitely a "divine tool" for a rookie Trainer.
Just as Ash was about to begin his grand bug-catching campaign, a sound of struggle came from the nearby bushes.
Following the sound, he saw two bird Pokémon fighting on a tree branch — a Spearow and a Pidgey.
They were fighting over a Leppa Berry, neither willing to back down.
As the Pidgey began to gain the upper hand, Ash smiled. It was truly a case of "what you seek comes when you least expect it."
[Bruno: Is Ash going to catch that Spearow?]
[Lorelei: Don't make me scold you, Bruno. If it were you, would you catch that Spearow?]
[Bruno: Uh… no.]
A Spearow that lost to a Pidgey? He wouldn't take it even if someone handed it to him for free.
[Professor Oak: A Pidgey with a strong fighting spirit… it reminds me of Ash's Pidgeotto.]
[Misty: Not 'reminds me,' it's exactly the same! It's just a Pidgeotto that hasn't evolved yet.]
[Ash: Fate! This is fate! So Parallel World Ash is also going to catch a Pidgeotto and a Caterpie, huh?]
[Brock: Pidgeotto's a sure thing, but Caterpie might be tricky.]
[Ash: Why?]
[Brock: A year ago, that Caterpie probably hadn't even been born yet.]
[Ash: Ah?!]
The victorious Pidgey, having just claimed its Leppa Berry, didn't even get to taste it before being dragged into a new battle.
This time, its opponent was far stronger than the Spearow — it didn't even see the attack before losing consciousness.
Still, it wasn't all bad news. Though it became Ash's Pokémon, it got to enjoy the Leppa Berry afterward.
After catching Pidgey, Ash asked Mew again when the Pokémon Egg would hatch.
Upon hearing that it was almost time, he decided not to catch any more Pokémon. Once the egg hatched, he'd have enough for his Gym challenge.
[Bruno: Wait—Ash is going to challenge Giovanni with just these three Pokémon?!]
[Lance: He's even crazier than the Ash in our world.]
Though Lance despised Giovanni and his association with Team Rocket, he still had to admit — Giovanni was one of Kanto's most formidable Gym Leaders.
Even he could lose to Giovanni if careless. Yet Ash was about to challenge him with just a baby Pokémon, a newly caught Pidgey, and a Pikachu. The kid was truly fearless.
[Koga: Has Ash never heard Giovanni's nickname? The "Giovanni of the Earth"! His only powerhouse is an Electric-type Pikachu, and he still dares to challenge him? He's underestimating Giovanni way too much!]
[Lorelei: Giovanni isn't Brock. The odds of him being defeated by Pikachu are practically zero.]
[Ash: What's wrong with Electric-types? With determination, nothing's impossible! Go, other me — I believe in you!]
Ash remained in Viridian Forest for three more days. During that time, he trained non-stop, and his Pidgey had already evolved into Pidgeotto.
At the same time, the Pokémon Egg in his backpack began to glow — it was finally about to hatch.
[Ding! Entering the prize quiz segment!]
[Question: What Pokémon is about to hatch from the egg?]
A: Tentacool
B: Squirtle
C: Phione
D: Riolu
E: Kyogre