Guide to be the Very Best 3 - or 'How I ended up coaching a young Pokémon Master in the making' (Pokemon, Ash Semi-SI)

Ash Ketchum was a simple kid.

Many would say he was too much of a butt-header with some of his ideas when it came to training his team, but it would be a lie to say he was utterly incompetent. Except the ones that made the anime and made him zero-dumbed each new season for some odd circumstances that had to do with the marketing.

Since this was the real world and Ash was a real person, getting some basic understanding on how to do the trainer stuff was extremely relevant. Starting with the fact we were not getting any spare mercy by the time we got to Brock.

I knew Ash was a good strategist- or should become one in due time, but I needed him to also allow standard 'type-advantage' to take precedence in any potential strategy right now. Sure, he could think of something to beat Brock's Geodude, but the Gym Leader's Onyx was meant to be a 'beginner-killer' in terms of raw potential.

I wouldn't say that the kid's current team was bad but… it was unfit at the moment to face the first big hurdle of his journey.

Which is why we were focusing on three objectives while venturing Viridian Forest: 1) Get Pidgeotto; 2) Get a Caterpie; 3) Secret (It was more of a 'it could happen, but I was not planning to push for it' kind of deal).

Now, I know what many would say here- John, why the fuck are you not focusing on Type-Advantage as you just mentioned up above and… truth be told, we all know this place didn't have any Grass-types or anything that is meant to beat a Rock-type.

Which really, shows how Game-design fucked up anyone that wanted to fight Brock without having either Bulbasaur or Squirtle. And it made me realize, in a somewhat irritating manner, that Oak may have coached his grandson about his pick since he went for Squirtle.

Knowing the little turd, he would have gone for Charmander had it not been someone else telling him that would have killed off his plans to be the next Champion.

Still, I am digressing a bit too much here- the reason I wanted Ash to get a Pidgeotto and a Caterpie stemmed from a very simple circumstance: both Pokemon, within Anime logic, were insanely powerful on their own.

Pidgeotto was literally the first evolution of Pidgey and it allowed it to learn powerful moves very fast. There may be a slight decrease in 'stats', but he was still a formidable first Pokemon to get.

Caterpie was, instead, the Spider-man this world needed and didn't deserve. Its String Shot was going to be effective for battle both as a Caterpie and as a Metapod. Its last evolution would then be a flexible 'mid-to-high-tier support' if handled correctly.

I would have loved if there had been variety to create a different but more powerful team, but there wasn't. Yet.

So, it was time to focus on the Caterpie-hunting.

It didn't take long for Ash to find one and, while he was a bit confused on why I wanted him to take one, he decided to listen to a very interesting reason why I wanted him to.

It will be fun. Trust me.

That normally wouldn't be enough, but I think he heard the mirth in my response which made him terribly curious. It was a very brief fight as the Caterpie was relatively tame and didn't put up much of a fight if any.

In fact, Pikachu was a bit reluctant to do much as the thing wanted to nuzzle against him and… Ash just used a Pokeball. Instant catch and even more confusion. That confusion would vanish within a very scene that would leave the kid intrigued to no end.

"So… what now?" Ash inquired quietly.

Now you will be shown the wonders of String Shot.

"And that… is?"

Release Caterpie.

He slowly nodded and did so.

"Piee~!" The Bug-Type purred/cried, turning to Ash and slowly crawling up to him.

The kid picked the cute-looking Bug.

Tell it to use String Shot to the tree right beside you.

Pikachu just watched as he saw his trainer turn his attention to the target and then-

"Caterpie, use String Shot on that tree."

The Bug blinked once, then aimed its tiny head to the tree and proceeded to squirt out a web-like substance at the target. Ash's eyes slowly narrowed at this development.

"That's… giving me a few ideas."

Pikachu tilted his head to the side upon hearing this, but decided to check what his companion was up to.

Meanwhile I just let Ash do his thing. After all, the kid was not going to rush into danger- unless he has a degree of confidence or arrogance that things will go his way.

Which is where a bit of a mess-up occurred right as he was done having Caterpie String Shot a few more trees- he tried to use his newly-captured Pokemon of the Bug-type against a feral Pokemon of the Flying-type by attacking a Pidgeotto.

In a twist that was literally copied by the Anime, Ash tried to use Caterpie as the main bulk for that capture but-

Ash, Bug-types are disadvantaged to Flying-types!

It was instinct that had me snap like that, but the harshness easily got Ash out of his cocky mood. Pidgeotto tried to catch Caterpie as it ran back to his trainer. Differently than how it went in Canon, Ash actually picked up Caterpie and did something that stunned me a bit.

Rather than wait for advice, the boy barked an order.

"Caterpie, use String Shot like you did with the trees, this time against the Pidgeotto!"

The Pokemon, either by fear or genuine snap reaction, shifted its head and hurled some webbing at the approaching bird-like Pokemon. It was so sudden and so close-up that the Pidgeotto couldn't do anything to dodge the attack and suddenly found itself caught in the web-made cocoon.

"You did it!" Ash exclaimed, the positive response getting the panicking Caterpie to pause and stare at the end result before-

"PIEEEEE~~!"

It started to purr loudly in celebration. Now, that would have been it if not for the fact that the Pidgeotto was still active and trying to use its beak to break free from its current restrictions.

Ash, the Pidgeotto is not down yet. Use Pikachu to make it faint.

That managed to briefly coerce the boy out of his delighted mood, but he smiled confidently.

"Pikachu, use Thunder Shock on Pidgeotto!"

The Rodent-Pokemon had been perched on his shoulder, jumping up from his perch and then unleashing several volts worthy of damage against the incapacitated bird. Soon the battle was really over and… Ash could now proudly say that he got himself half-a-team within his first week of being a Trainer.

Still, that wouldn't be the moment things went truly at peace. In fact, right as I was giving him a few clues on how to train his pokemon against his upcoming gym battle, we ended up finding a certain someone.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH, MAKE WAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

Hello again, Misty.

The girl was clearly running fast and the source of that issue was none other than the horde of Beedrills that were chasing after her ass. Ash looked a bit surprised, but grinned as he had a very simple plan in mind.

"Misty, duck!" He yelled at the girl, who complied out of panic as Ash hurled two simple orders. "Caterpie, use String Shots on the Beedrills! Pikachu, once the web settles, you use Thunder Shock on the group!"

Both Pokemon nodded at the orders, with Caterpie striking first as its web briefly restrained the irritated Bees while Pikachu's attack rushed through before the Beedrills could have freed themselves with their drill-arms.

The attack was powerful enough to make them all faint, but rather than tell Ash to capture any of them, I gave him a fair warning.

Get to her and run!

Ash nodded, a smart kid realizing from the distant buzzing that this was just a small group of a far more numerous nest of Beedrills. Misty was a bit stunned when the boy rushed up to her, grabbed her by her right hand and then pulled her away from that area as fast as possible.

By the time they stopped running, the poor girl was red-faced. And I heard Ash's thoughts on the matter as he noticed that too.

"That was scary."

And dear Arceus, I am happy that Ash is so dense in times like this. Poor Misty would bust her soul if she was caught being a girl with some romantic thoughts. I mean, she was a bit on the 'silly' side of the spectrum, but she managed to play it smooth with this one.

"Y-Yeah, super-scary and… Giih! You have a bug too!"

She jumped, realizing that Ash was still holding Caterpie. The boy, still unaware of the fact that people could get squeamish with bugs, frowned in confusion at that reaction.

"What about it? Caterpie helped save you."

"Bugs are slimy!" Misty exclaimed, making the poor Pokemon whine sadly.

"H-Hey, Caterpie is not slimy!"

The Bug was very happy to know his Master was by his side, and I just… didn't do anything from this. Ash had been holding back a lot ever since I tagged along for the trip, and I had a feeling my presence was to 'blame' in that regard.

Sure, one could make a case that Brock, as an adult, should have had the same effect on him- but the point is relating to experience. Ash was not the kind of kid that cared for how old someone was but the kind of experience they had.

In my case, I was someone that could instantly pick up a Pokemon's name, type and the various details that Ash would eventually pick up on his own. Stuff that mattered either for capture or fight.

Social situations were a different matter altogether. I could try to swerve things in one way, but I was conscious that Ash needed an 'outlet' for his own freedom of thought. And this was the best setting to instill that in him.

"W-Well, all bugs are!"

"It is slimy on the tiny feet because it has to stick to walls, but Caterpie is very smooth in most of its body. It is…"

He was not good with words, however, so I gave him advice there.

Headpattable.

"Headpattable."

Misty had the deadest look possible. "Head… pattable. Headpattable."

Instead of replying to that, Ash just reached for Caterpie's head and started to pat. Misty stared at the scene, flinching at the contact of a human hand on top of the bug-type's tiny head and… she frowned as she saw the general cuteness of the scene mixing with a noise that made her pause instantly.

"I-Is it… purring?!"

Ash slowly nodded, smiling at the affectionate display while Pikachu nuzzled against his ear to not be left out.

"Yeah, all Pokemon can be affectionate. Caterpie is just like that, a cute and cool Pokemon."

Misty just stared at this, her frown softening and her disgust vanishing as she felt a bit of shame.

"...Sorry for calling it slimy."

Ash smiled, and I smiled even more as the Secret Objective just happened: 3) Ash befriended Misty and they would agree to tag along to the walk to Pewter City.

But, obviously, the path up ahead is far from over and wouldn't be solved with a couple of scene-changes as in the games' canon.