038: I Conquered Pichu!!
"Pi Chiu"
Rubbing its soft cheeks affectionately against Ash's face, Pichu's eyes shimmered with pure trust and closeness, clearly bonding deeply with the boy who had healed and comforted it.
The affectionate interaction stunned Gary, Tierno, and Trevor, who were watching nearby. They exchanged puzzled glances, unsure whether this Pichu was really a wild Pokémon. It was unusual for wild Pokémon to display such trust in humans, especially moments after being discovered.
"Thank you, Pichu."
Ash's voice was filled with gratitude. The sincerity of his affection was met with even greater warmth by Pichu, whose cheerful chirps brought a genuine smile to Ash's face.
As he raised his hand to gently stroke the tuft on Pichu's small head, he felt the ticklish sensation of its tiny cheek nuzzling his. The smile on his face grew, but then his gaze drifted downward and he suddenly noticed the faint but visible scratches on Pichu's right hind leg.
Concerned, Ash gently lifted Pichu and set it carefully down on the soft grass.
"Pijiu...?"
Pichu blinked in confusion, tilting its head slightly, wondering why it had been put down so suddenly.
"Pichu, your back leg is hurt," Ash said softly. "I don't know how it happened, but don't move for now. I'll take care of it."
He knelt down and gently stroked Pichu's head again, speaking in a tone as warm as the sun filtering through the trees above them.
"Pi Chiu?"
Pichu looked up in puzzlement.
"You'll see how I'm going to heal you," Ash reassured it with a confident smile.
Placing his hand just above the injured leg, Ash called upon the Power of Viridian within him a unique gift he had discovered he possessed during an earlier encounter in the forest.
"Healing…"
As he concentrated, his palm began to glow with a radiant emerald light, brimming with the energy of nature itself.
The green aura enveloped Pichu's wound, and within moments, the blood dried, the gash closed, and fresh, healthy skin replaced the torn area. The healing granulation pulsed briefly as the process completed seamless, gentle, and miraculous.
Pichu stared in amazement. Its large, dark eyes widened in disbelief as it wiggled its tiny toes.
Behind them, Gary, Tierno, and Trevor were completely stunned. Not by the healing itself healing was common through items and Pokémon moves but because a human had done it. Without potions. Without a Pokémon. With his own power.
This wasn't ordinary.
In the Pokémon world, abilities like this were almost unheard of among humans. While there were rare cases of Psychic-type humans, they were scarce and often hidden from public view. The Power of Viridian, tied to ancient legends, was even rarer. What Ash just demonstrated wasn't part of any conventional training at Professor Oak's camp.
It shattered their understanding of what humans were capable of.
But Ash didn't notice their reaction his full attention was still on Pichu.
"Pichu, how do you feel now? Does it still hurt?" he asked softly, still crouched.
"Pi Chiu"
Pichu chirped excitedly and shook its head, confirming that the pain was completely gone.
"That's great." Ash smiled again, then gently picked up Pichu.
"I really like you, Pichu. Would you… like to be my partner?"
He cradled the small Pokémon in his palm, his voice filled with hope and tenderness.
Ash believed this was no ordinary encounter. Just like his bond with Pikachu in the future, he felt something fated in meeting Pichu. It wasn't just coincidence it was destiny.
From their first eye contact, Pichu had shown trust, and now, with Ash having healed its injury and spoken with it heart-to-heart through the Aura, the moment felt right.
"Pi Jiu~"
"A partner means we'll always be together," Ash continued warmly. "We'll eat together, rest together, train together… and someday, travel together across the world."
Then, from his pocket, Ash took out a pearl-white Poké Ball a special one, unlike the standard red. He pressed the center button, expanding it to full size with a soft click. Holding it out to Pichu, he asked one more time, voice full of hope:
"Pichu, would you like to be my partner?"
"Pijiu"
Pichu chirped cheerfully, nodded excitedly, then reached forward with its tiny paw and tapped the Poké Ball's button.
In an instant, its body shimmered into a brilliant rainbow light and was drawn inside the Poké Ball.
"DuCheng!!!"
The ball wobbled twice in Ash's hand before emitting a loud and cheerful chime.
"I conquered Pichu !"
Ash jumped with excitement, proudly holding the Poké Ball high and flashing a V-sign, just like his older self did in the original manga when he caught his first Pokémon.
He didn't hesitate.
"Come on out, Pichu!"
Knowing that Pichu didn't enjoy being confined inside Poké Balls for long a detail he remembered from the Professor's notes and the original stories Ash immediately released it.
"Pi Chuu~"
Pichu reappeared in a flash of light and bounded happily onto Ash's shoulder, snuggling its cheek into his once again.
"Pichu, we're partners now. Please take care of me."
"Pi Chiu(＾▽＾)"
Pichu's little eyes turned into joyful crescents as it nodded eagerly.
~
~
Meeting his fate-ordained partner in advance and successfully subduing it, owning his own Earl Dervish Pokémon ahead of time, made Ash feel a bit surreal.
But when he looked at Pichu squatting happily on his shoulder and felt the ticklish sensation of its cheek rubbing against his, Ash knew it was real.
Though Pichu was still just a small, timid Pokémon, not yet the powerhouse it would become in the future, Ash could already see the potential hidden within it. This wasn't the "skin god" that would later become a legendary force; it was still just a Macy character. And though the system's aptitude rating for Pichu wasn't an SSS-grade the god-tier rank it was still solidly SS-level. For a Pokémon this young, that was already impressive.
Though Pichu might not be a "god," Ash knew it could rise to greatness with the right training and care.
"Ash, who is this?"
Looking at Ash walking back with a content smile, Gary suddenly felt a sense of unease. His friend seemed different, almost like a stranger, as if he'd never truly known him before.
"Alright, I know you have a lot of questions right now. Go ahead and ask. As a friend, I'll answer what I can," Ash said, sensing their curiosity and giving them a reassuring smile.
The three friends Gary, Tierno, and Trevor stood still, expressions a mix of shock, awe, and confusion. Ash gently patted Pichu's cheek on his shoulder, then turned to face them with a friendly smile.
"Well, Ash, just now, I saw your hand glow green, and then you instantly healed Pichu's leg injury."
Trevor, always the more reserved and introspective one of the group, was the first to speak, his voice tinged with genuine curiosity.
"Is this Psychic? Are you a Psychic?"
After Trevor's question, both Gary and Tierno exchanged glances, their interest piqued. The atmosphere had shifted whatever Ash had just done seemed far beyond ordinary.
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