Ash, still standing, was panting heavily. He was in complete ecstasy, unable to believe what had just happened: he had won his first Pokémon battle. He stared at Blue, his eyes wide open and fixed on him.

Blue, on the other hand, was devastated, crouched on his knees and clutching his Pokéball, his eyes filling with a mix of anger and frustration directed at Ash. If only he hadn't used that potion, he might have won.

"Congratulations, boys, you've had an amazing battle, one of the most epic ones I've witnessed", Professor Oak affirmed as he approached the two boys.

"Now, Blue" he added, placing his hand on his shoulder "I think there's still one last thing you need to do to properly conclude this battle."

Blue remained upset, head down, his face a mix of disgust and confusion. He had just lost to someone he had, just a minute ago, called pathetic. His ego had taken a hard blow. Blue's face tightened, brows furrowed, eyes sharp. He bit his lip so hard thinking about what he had to do that it started to bleed slightly. He knew what was expected of him, but was he willing to do it?

Blue suddenly straightened up, his expression serious. Everything on his face showed he had no desire to do it. He especially didn't want to; it hurt his pride. But did he really have a choice? The loser must comply with the winner's will that's the rule of Pokémon battles.

Ash, who had been floating on a cloud after his victory, began to feel uneasy. He was intrigued by what the professor had just said and even more so by Blue's actions. What could this thing that Blue had to do? And even more curious, why did Blue seem angrier after hearing it? Odd.

Blue began to move slowly towards Ash.

But what could possibly be happening now? I thought I heard the professor mention something about one last thing to accomplish. Wait, I hope it's not something like shaking hands or something. That would be too awkward, Ash thought to himself, shaking his head.

He was lost in pointless speculation, his mind wandering, throwing out all sorts of theories, from the plausible to the absurd. But all of it was futile, because soon he would find out what this last thing was.

Blue was now level with Ash, barely 39 inches separating them. Ash almost flinched when their eyes met. He hadn't noticed it at first, but now that Blue was so close, he could read animosity in his gaze; Blue wasn't even trying to hide it.

Wow, I never thought he would hold such a grudge over just a simple Pokémon duel. I get he's upset, but technically he didn't even fight, he sighed to himself.

Anyway, let's end it, Ash began moving his hand, reaching towards Blue as the other trainer did the same on his end. Just a few more inches and it would be done, the handshake would be complete.

Ash had his eyes closed, not wanting to meet Blue's vehement face.

Whether he kept them open or not at this distance, he couldn't miss it. Ash's mind was prepared; he expected to feel Blue's cold, sweaty hand against his and be done with it. However, he felt something else, something drier, with a firm texture less like a hand: it was paper, specifically valuable paper: Pokédollars.

"Pokédollars?!" Ash exclaimed, opening his eyes wide and leaving his mouth slightly open. So, that was the thing he had to do? Ash was even more confused than before.

Pokédollars? Why? At this stage, a handshake would have seemed more logical and simpler, but money...

"Could you explain, Professor? I don't understand, was that the thing to do?" Ash asked, feeling embarrassed. The situation was more than awkward.

"I see, Ash, that you're not familiar with the rules of Pokémon battles. In fact, I would even say we knew you were a bit slow", the professor said, emphasizing the word "slow". Ash shot a dark look at Professor Oak; he didn't appreciate the remark.

"Listen !" the professor continued, "you should know that after every Pokémon battle, the loser gives the winner half of the money they had on them during the battle."

"Half?!" Ash exclaimed, surprised. He began inspecting the amount Blue was offering him. 10, 50, 100, 150... that's 175 pokédollars, he thought, stunned. Ash swallowed hard, staring at the sum; it wasn't every day he earned 175 pokédollars. The amount was tempting. He reached for the bills Blue was holding out and tried to pull them away.

"Hmm?" Ash was surprised. Something wasn't right; the bill didn't seem to want to leave Blue's hand, despite his considerable pulling force. He tried again, but once more he encountered resistance—Blue was resisting him taking the money.

Ash became even more embarrassed than he was at the beginning; he was almost blushing at how embarrassing the situation was. He was confused, clearly unsure how to handle the situation. On the other side, Blue seemed even more embarrassed than him; he clenched his teeth, his pride preventing him from giving away his hard-earned money so easily.

Blue, I understand how you feel. That money, I imagine it's the result of months of saving, and it must be painful for you to part with it. But on the other hand, that money would be welcome for me too, thought Ash, feeling sorry for his rival.

The scene was ironic, even comical. On one side, there was Blue, the arrogant young man trembling with frustration; on the other, Ash, the challenger, frozen like a pole, completely embarrassed; and in the middle, 175 pokédollars. It almost looked like Ash was outright extorting him.

Finally, Blue let go, and Ash was able to claim his reward. He held the bills tightly in his hands. Blue had his fists clenched; his determined, dark gaze met Ash's. The message was clear: this was only a temporary setback; sooner or later, he would have his rematch. Blue then turned towards the professor, nodded his head in acknowledgment, and left the lab.

Ash, who had been silent and somewhat confused up until now, watched as Blue left the laboratory. He could still see the determined expression on Blue's face; they both knew they would cross paths again, and on that day, he would be ready.

Charmander gains 70 EXP points! Charmander leveled up to level 6!

Ash's surprised face turned back to the display console. His Pokemon had just leveled up to level 6.

"Did you see that, Professor? Charmander leveled up!" Ash exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Yes, Ash. This battle has given him experience and allowed him to evolve" the professor said in a gentle, paternal voice, approaching Ash with his arms crossed behind his back.

"The best way to evolve your Pokémon is to have them face other Pokémon. The more powerful opponents they face, the more experience they gain and the more they can evolve to reach their full potential."

Ash was happy, both for himself and for his Pokémon; they had both delivered a magnificent battle. Charmander looked at Ash, his face cheerful, his eyes sparkling; he wanted to spend his time with Ash fighting together, and Ash felt the same way.

"Have you made your decision, Ash?" the professor asked, placing his hand on Ash's shoulder. "What do you think? Would you like to become a Pokémon Trainer?"

Ash smiled slightly, feeling both excited and anxious. All of this was new to him, and in a way, he seemed to appreciate it, but...

"You know, Professor, growing up in a town where Pokémons are central to our lives, I've always been the one who stayed away the most. Maybe it was to stand out from the others or to distance myself, but today I think my perspective has changed" Ash said, looking at his hand, "but..."

"But?" the professor interrupted.

"But I don't think I'm up to it, Professor. I've never left this place, you know."

Professor Oak stood beside Ash, his reassuring smile giving him the air of a kind sage.

"Listen to me, Ash, I understand your concern. It's true that you've only known Pallet Town, but you don't have to be afraid; the Pokémon adventure is a wonderful experience. Imagine all the things you can discover: so many different species of Pokémon in this world, breathtaking landscapes, and lively cities."

Ash listened attentively to the professor; his face seemed to calm under the influence of the professor's words.

"You know, Ash, along the way, you might make new companion. In town, you're one of the few who haven't set off on a Pokémon adventure yet, so you probably don't have many friends; most of the inhabitants are either too old or too young for you (hmmm, by the way, maybe that's why you seem so mature for your age)."

Ash felt offended but didn't let it show; he wanted to hear everything the professor had to say before making any decisions.

"You'll undoubtedly meet extraordinary people who will become your friends, allies, or maybe even more..." The professor left his sentence hanging, but he didn't need to say more; Ash knew where he was going with this.

"It will also be a great financial opportunity for you. By becoming a Pokémon Trainer, you can earn money, whether by facing other trainers or arena masters. The opportunities are endless. But beyond that, most importantly, I want you to know that I have no intention of influencing you; the choice is yours."

Ash pondered everything the professor had just told him. Even though the professor assured him that the choice was his, deep down, he knew what was expected of him: a response.

Ash looked at the professor, who still wore a friendly and benevolent expression; he looked like a sage, almost like Buddha for a moment, his face shining brightly.

Ash felt the intense aura emanating from the professor's radiant face. Though his gaze was still clouded with doubt, deep down, everything was clear to him.

The sensation he had felt during his Pokémon battle, the fulfillment when he defeated Blue, the sense of well-being from his victory—all of it was now deeply rooted within him, and he hungered for more.

He fixed his determined gaze on the professor once more; he didn't need to speak— the professor already knew, he already knew: Ash would become a Pokémon Trainer.

"Oh, by the way, Professor, I totally forgot but I came to see you about this."

Ash pulled out the potion he had in his pocket. "I wanted to get your opinion on this potion, and also see if it's still effective since it looks older than the Pokémon potions you find in stores."

The professor took the potion and began examining it closely. "Hmm, yes, you're right, it's older, but as for effectiveness, there's nothing to worry about given the miraculous effect it had on Charmander", the professor said, handing the potion back to Ash.

"Yeah, so how much do you think I could get for that one?" Ash said, scratching his chin, staring at the potion he was swirling in his hand.

"Oh pfff... I couldn't give you an exact price, but I imagine you could get a good price at the Poke Mart; the label could definitely interest a collector or something like that" the professor said in a disinterested tone.

"A collector? And you, Professor, wouldn't you want to buy it from me?"

"Me?" the professor said, surprised.

"Why would I want it? I'm not a collector."

"But come on, Professor, you already have a collection of odds and ends in your lab; one more or less wouldn't make a difference."

"These odds and ends, as you call them, are my tools, Ash" the professor replied, annoyed. Ash seemed to have hurt him. "And besides, to be honest with you, Ash, I'm out of money."

"Oh really?" Ash said, disappointed.

"Yeah, who would have thought that in a town where Pokémon are central to the economy, a professional who studies Pokémon would be broke so often?"

"That's because you spend your money recklessly" Ash muttered.

"Hmm? Did you say something, Ash?" the professor asked, with a fake smile, his furrowed brows showing that he had heard Ash's remark.

"Who, me? Oh, nothing at all, Professor" Ash said, smiling innocently.

"Well, anyway, speaking of your potion, if you stop by the Poké Mart, could you ask them if they received my package?"

"Huh?! Your package? And I guess you'd also like me to bring it back to you, right?"

"Oh, that would be very thoughtful of you, my dear Ash, and don't worry, I'll reward you" Professor Oak said, blinking.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll see, Professor, but for now, I'm going home."

The young boy turned his back on the professor and headed towards the laboratory's exit, leaving the professor alone amidst his mess.

"I'm home, Mom?" Ash said, gently closing the front door. "Mom, where are you?"

"Right here, sweetie, in the dining room." Her voice came from the door on the right, leading to a hallway that led to the dining room.

The door was slightly open as Ash pushed it open to enter.

"So, did you get to show it to the professor?" Ash's mother asked, sitting at the table doing crossword puzzles.

"Yeah, and according to him, it could be valuable, at least to an experienced eye."

"Ah, I see" she said, her eyes fixed on her crossword puzzles.

"Before that, Mom, I wanted to talk to you about something." Ash's face seemed a bit sad, his head lowered. His mother stopped, turned her gaze away from her crossword puzzle to her son; she sensed he had something very important to tell her.

"What is it, Ash?" she asked, intrigued.

The boy still had his face to the ground, head down. He wasn't sure how to phrase what he was about to say, but it had to come out.

"Mom, I want to become a Pokémon trainer." He was now looking at his mother, his eyes wide open with a hint of worry, waiting for her response.

"Oh, come on, Ash, you didn't have to make such a fuss just to tell me that" she said with a loving smile.

"So you're not angry? It doesn't bother you?"

"Of course not, dear. Besides, I always thought you were a bit... special as a boy." She paused. "I also have to admit that you might be the only one who hasn't gone off to become a Pokémon trainer, Ash."

Ash grimaced, pouting a bit. He knew his mother was teasing him, but it still pleased him that she saw him as someone special.

"So, it's okay?"

"Yes, Ash, it's okay" she replied with a slight smile brightening her face.

"However, I'll feel quite lonely without you, Ash. First your father, and now you" she added with a sigh.

"Well, youth must have its way, right? And I suppose Professor Oak can keep me company from time to time."

"NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT, MOM!" Ash exclaimed, completely alarmed. His mother burst into laughter. "Hahaha, I was kidding, Ash. And besides, there's also Nina."

"Ha ha ha, very funny, Mom. Anyway, I'm going upstairs to change."