Pokemon: Trait Master

Knock, knock— 

"Hello, is anyone here?" 

"The door's unlocked, just come in." 

At Professor Oak's call, the owner of the voice gently pushed open the door to the lab. 

Ash instinctively looked over and saw a girl with long, ash-blond hair. She was dressed in a black sleeveless top paired with a red mini skirt, black sneakers, and long black stockings. A pink hat sat atop her head. 

Beneath the hat was a breathtakingly beautiful face. 

Her delicate features resembled cherry blossoms in early spring—fresh, youthful, and charming. Her fair skin carried a faint blush, and her sapphire-blue eyes shimmered with curiosity as she observed the lab. 

When she spotted Ash, a look of delight flashed in her eyes. 

"Hello! Long time no see, Ash!" 

"Wow, you must be that Pichu from back then! You've already evolved into Pikachu!" 

Ash: … 

Who are you? 

To be honest, the moment he saw this girl, his heart skipped a beat. 

She was undeniably stunning! 

But no matter how hard Ash racked his brain, he couldn't recall ever knowing such a pretty girl. 

"Pika~~" 

Pikachu, on the other hand, happily greeted her. 

Ash stared at the Pokémon on his shoulder in confusion. 

Wait a second. You know her too? Who is she?! 

Hold on… 

That face… It does seem vaguely familiar… 

"Are you… Serena?" Ash asked hesitantly. 

Serena nodded enthusiastically like a pecking chick. 

"Yes! I thought you wouldn't remember me!" 

"Haha… how could I forget! Of course, I remember!" 

In reality, he had nearly forgotten… 

His encounter with Serena happened back at summer camp when he was six years old. 

At that time, he already had Pichu, who had yet to evolve into Pikachu. 

He and Pichu had stumbled upon a lost Serena and helped her find her way back to the camp. 

After that, Serena often came to play with them. 

Unlike other kids who were easily awed by Pokémon, Ash had calmly explained various Pokémon knowledge to her. 

That experience sparked Serena's deep interest in Pokémon. 

She even declared that when she started her journey, she would definitely find Ash! 

Back then, Ash had just casually agreed, thinking that with Kalos and Kanto being so far apart, the chances of them meeting again on their journeys were slim. 

But who would have thought—on the very first day of her travels, Serena took a plane straight to Kanto! 

Professor Sycamore had contacted Professor Oak beforehand precisely because of Serena. 

And Professor Oak, seeing the opportunity, had inquired about any spare starter Pokémon. 

Now, Ash finally understood the butterfly effect caused by Froakie's existence. 

He never expected that a small, unintentional act from his childhood would cause Serena to embark on her journey so much earlier than in the original timeline. 

"You've become even prettier, Serena!" 

Trying to ease the awkwardness, Ash complimented her. 

Instantly, Serena's fair cheeks turned a deep shade of red, and she shyly fidgeted in place. 

Since he had promised her as a child, Ash naturally wouldn't refuse her request to travel together. 

Besides, having a beautiful girl by his side was always a nice bonus. 

Honestly speaking, the people in this world matured quickly. 

A ten-year-old girl could easily pass for someone around fourteen or fifteen. 

Serena's figure, while not exaggerated, had all the right curves in place… 

Traveling with such a charming companion, even if she turned out to be a burden, was still a pleasant experience. 

--- 

"Take care, Ash!" 

"Alright! Everyone, wait for my good news!" 

After packing up his things, Ash stood outside Professor Oak's Lab, waving goodbye to the villagers alongside Serena. 

Among them was his mother, Delia Ketchum. 

Seeing a beautiful girl standing next to her son, Delia was practically beaming with satisfaction. 

However, as a mother, she still had to give some final reminders. 

"Stay safe, Ash! Mom doesn't mind if you get a girlfriend, but don't come back with a baby! You're only ten, after all!" 

Ash: … 

Mom, do you even hear what you're saying? 

You do realize I'm only ten, right?! 

Meanwhile, Serena's face turned as red as an apple! 

Ignoring his mother's teasing, Ash simply grabbed Serena's soft hand and officially set off on his journey to become a Pokémon Master! 

--- 

"Fennekin, use Ember!" 

"That's it! Now finish it with Tackle!" 

Not far from Pallet Town, on an open plain— 

Serena commanded her Fennekin with swift precision, easily defeating two Spearow at once! 

A beginner Trainer, taking on two opponents at once, and winning with ease… 

Ash nearly thought his eyes were deceiving him! 

Wait a minute— 

She was supposed to be a beginner, but she was actually a powerhouse?! 

Judging by her decisive commands, she could totally pass as a seasoned Trainer who had been traveling for a year or two! 

Noticing Ash's shocked expression, Serena playfully stuck out her tongue. 

"Hehe, I'm amazing, right, Ash?" 

"It's all thanks to you~" 

"Back at summer camp, you taught me so much about Pokémon." 

"After that, I became really interested in Pokémon battles. Before setting out on my journey, I had already fought countless battles using my mom's Pokémon!" 

Ash: … 

So, you went from an aspiring Performer… to a full-fledged Battler?! 

That childhood incident not only made her start her journey early— 

It even turned her into a battle enthusiast! 

Alright, alright, what an impressive butterfly effect!