Chapter 113: Xiao Zhi

Just as it appears in the anime, Pallet Town is a rural village characterized by dirt paths and sprawling meadows. For a player, the name of this place is legendary, but for those living in the metropolises of this world, many may not even know it exists—at least, not without mentioning Professor Oak. This is precisely why, when Ash Ketchum identifies himself as being from Pallet Town in the anime, he is looked down upon by Trip, who assumes he must be from the countryside.

Professor Oak’s laboratory sits on a hill in the southeast of the town. Huyo glanced toward it; the only thing in the lab that truly piqued his interest was the Poké Ball transfer machine. Although this technology had been developed, for some reason, it had never been mass-produced. Aside from the various research institutes within the League and Pokémon Centers in major cities, it was not equipped anywhere else. In the outside world, these transfer machines were essentially priceless, impossible to obtain regardless of how much one was willing to pay. If he could acquire one and place it in his ecological park, he could exchange Pokémon at any time. He could even use Professor Birch’s system to bring his Slowking over for a visit. Unfortunately, he lacked the connections to secure one for now.

However, it was not entirely impossible. Perhaps Steven Stone could help him get his hands on one. In exchange, he could offer Steven one of his Key Stone bracelets.

Pallet Town is small, and its buildings are quite sparse. Because of this, Huyo quickly found the restaurant run by Ash’s mother, Delia. The establishment was modest, with the restaurant on the ground floor and an inn on the second. By this time, the sky outside had darkened completely. As soon as Huyo sat down, a woman with light brown hair and brown eyes, wearing an apron, approached with a menu.

"Welcome! What would you like to order? These are our house specialties..."

This was Delia, Ash’s mother. Huyo withdrew his gaze, ordered a few set meals at random, and then released his Pokémon to wait for dinner. He had no intention of disrupting their lives; he had only come to see Pallet Town and Ash in reality.

"Alright, please wait a moment!" Delia turned to busy herself. Huyo began chatting with his Pokémon.

Just then, a spirited voice rang out from inside the room: "Mom, I’m going to Professor Oak’s to see the newborn Charmander! I’ll be back by eight!"

Before Delia could reply, the sound of footsteps echoed from the stairs. The footsteps approached, quickly reaching the floor below. Huyo and his Pokémon looked up and met the gaze of the young boy who was peering toward them. The boy wore a red-and-white cap styled like a Poké Ball, a blue jacket, and light blue jeans. His eyes were shining with excitement.

Huyo looked at him, and he looked at Gengar, Axew, Ralts, Roserade, and Cramorant. He stopped in his tracks, exclaiming excitedly, "Pokémon I’ve never seen before!"

Huyo: "..." Well, he figured he knew who this was.

"Hello," Huyo greeted him first.

Ash finally shifted his gaze toward Huyo, his eyes bright. "Are you a Trainer traveling from out of town?"

Huyo nodded, looking at him, and said, "You must be setting out on your own journey soon, right?"

Hearing this, a look of longing appeared in Ash’s eyes. "Yeah! A year from now, I’ll be able to receive my first Pokémon from Professor Oak!"

Huyo asked, "Have you decided which one you want?"

Ash looked hesitant. "Charmander... Squirtle... Bulbasaur, they’re all so great..."

Recalling the dream Ash had at the beginning of the anime, Huyo smiled and said, "Don’t worry, you’ll definitely be able to choose the one that suits you best."

Ash nodded expectantly. "Yeah!" He wanted to leave, but his body wouldn't move. Should he go to Professor Oak’s to see the newborn Charmander, or stay here to watch these Pokémon he had never seen before? Ash hesitated for only a second before making his choice.

Just then, Delia emerged from the kitchen carrying drinks and tea. Seeing Ash’s behavior, she said, "Ash, you are not allowed to disturb the guests while they eat!"

Ash stopped in his tracks. Huyo intervened, "It’s quite alright. I’m a traveling Trainer, and this is my first time in Pallet Town. I was hoping he could introduce me to the area. Would that be okay?"

Ash looked at Delia, pleading, "Mom!"

Delia sighed. "I don’t know what to do with you." She then gave Huyo a grateful smile. "Then I’ll leave it to you."

Delia returned to preparing the food. Huyo and Ash exchanged names. Ash sat across from him and enthusiastically introduced Pallet Town. Once he finished, noticing Ash’s eyes wandering over to Gengar and the others, Huyo took the initiative to introduce his Pokémon. At the end, he hinted:

"...Pokémon are just like humans; they have rich emotions. That’s why, when we make a promise to them, we must keep it. Otherwise, they will be very sad."

*So, remember to go back and pick up Pidgeot this time!*

Ash nodded firmly. "I know!"

...

That night, Huyo rested at the inn on the second floor. He planned to leave Pallet Town early the next morning, catch Zapdos, and then return to the Hoenn region. As for why he wasn't staying longer, it was because, at this stage, the Hoenn region was his base of operations. Once back, he had to help Slowking find a Berry Blender and a Pokéblock case. He also needed to head into the desert to help the fossil enthusiast look for fossils. After that, it would be time for a leisurely journey to collect Gym badges. By the time he met Ash again, he might already be a Champion.

However...

Thinking of Ash’s regrets in the Kalos region, Huyo got out of bed, took paper and a pen from his bag, and wrote a few lines on a blank sheet.

...

Early the next morning, the guest checked out. Delia went upstairs to tidy the room. As soon as she entered, she saw a letter on the table addressed to Ash. She paused, remembering how Ash had chatted with the guest the day before. She took the letter and handed it to Ash when she went downstairs.

Ash was surprised. He opened the envelope and found a detailed introduction to the final evolution of Charmander—Charizard. It included everything from its types and abilities to its moves, and even mentioned that during his travels in the Kalos region, he had once encountered a black Charizard with the Water Absorb ability.

"Water Absorb..." Ash murmured.

Below that, he saw another line: "Looking forward to our next meeting. Wishing you a happy journey, by Huyo."

Seeing this, a look of anticipation filled Ash’s eyes. *Yeah, we’ll definitely meet again!*