Meanwhile...
Neither Ash nor Pikachu realized they were being watched—from the sky above.
A majestic Pokémon floated in the air, its feathers shimmering in a spectrum of colors like a radiant rainbow. Its eyes glowed with nobility and grace, and a divine aura surrounded it—an aura that brought life and prosperity to anyone who witnessed it.
This Pokémon was none other than the legendary Ho-Oh, guardian of the laws of rebirth and reincarnation.
Ho-Oh had long ceased showing himself to humans, having lost faith in their worth after they failed his sacred trial.
Yet every hundred years, he still gave them a chance.
Once per century, Ho-Oh would descend upon the world, seeking a soul worthy of his Rainbow Feather, a sign that humanity deserved protection once more.
But tragically, no one had ever succeeded in his test.
This year was no different—he had set out on his centennial journey to observe humanity once again, hoping—just maybe—someone would prove worthy.
But what he discovered instead shocked him to his core.
Across every region, he saw individuals being protected by the very Will of the World—a phenomenon unprecedented in the history of Pokémon.
After counting how many "Chosen Ones" he had already encountered, a deep doubt gnawed at him:
"Could a disaster of such scale truly be coming…? One that requires so many to be chosen…?"
He didn't want to believe it. He couldn't.
But the truth was undeniable. And this sheer number of chosen ones complicated things—by Ho-Oh's laws, each chosen one qualified for the Trial of the Rainbow.
It was too much.
So, he made a decision:He would grant the trial only to the chosen one of his region.No more.
Or so he thought…
As he returned to his territory, his body suddenly froze mid-flight.
He felt it.
A massive, overwhelming aura—something so vast and pure that it shook even him to his core. Not even the Hero of Rota or the legendary Aura Guardians had radiated such power.
He immediately changed direction to find the source.
There, standing beneath the forest canopy, was a boy in a red cap… and a Pikachu.
They had only just begun their journey.
Ho-Oh narrowed his gaze and activated his Spirit Sight, a sacred ability that allowed him to peer into the very soul of a being.
The moment he laid eyes on their spirits—Ash's and Pikachu's—he canceled the ability immediately… and fell silent.
His expression turned grim as he continued to observe the boy fiddling with his gear.
"This doesn't make any sense… Without a doubt, this boy is an Aura Guardian—stronger even than Sir Aaron himself…"
The legendary's eyes grew darker with conflicted emotion as he recalled what he had seen in the boy's spirit… and felt an odd twinge of awe.
"A pure soul, overflowing with love for Pokémon. A will like steel. A resolve that could break mountains. But what shocked me the most… was his unwavering trust in his tiny companion. And the Pikachu… returned that trust with the same absolute devotion."
"And yet… he isn't one of the world's chosen?! This is absurd!"
Ho-Oh's sorrow deepened. The rarity of such a soul… the sheer scale of the aura… it was beyond comprehension.
Among all the chosen ones he had seen so far, only one—another boy with crimson eyes and a similar cap—came close to Ash's level in spirit.
Ho-Oh let out a long, heavy sigh.
"It's a tragedy… I can't grant the Rainbow Feather to two people."
He turned away, preparing to return to his region.
But not before doing one thing for the boy in red.
____________________________________________________________________
Ash was walking, eyes alert as he scanned the area for any sign of Spearow. Luckily, they were far off and hadn't caused any trouble.
Both Ash and Pikachu sighed in relief. The last thing they wanted was a repeat of that incident.
They stopped walking, and together looked up at the sky—just in time to see a familiar Pokémon soaring above them.
It was Ho-Oh, passing overhead.
The two immediately understood: Ho-Oh was showing his interest in them. They smiled at the majestic sight, and Ash couldn't help but shout at the Rainbow Bird, his voice full of determination.
"Ho-Oh!! Let's battle next time we meet!"
Ho-Oh turned to gaze at him deeply and responded:
"Hoooo!!"(I look forward to it.)
Ash laughed joyfully, waving at Johto's legendary guardian.
"Alright! Pikachu, looks like we've got another goal to chase. If we ever meet Ho-Oh again—let's give him a battle worth remembering!"
"Pika-pi!!"
The two friends grinned at each other, full of excitement.
Then suddenly, a flurry of system notifications appeared.
[You have received Ho-Oh's Blessing.][Ho-Oh has taken an interest in the Host.][Ho-Oh's Favorability has increased from 'Curious' to 'Favored'.][New Quest Unlocked.][Favorability Menu Unlocked.]
[Main Quest: Ho-Oh's Favored (|)Details: Although you are neither the Rainbow Chosen nor chosen by the World's Will, Ho-Oh has taken an interest in you and intends to test you.Objective: Pass the three trials Ho-Oh will bestow in the future.Rewards: 200,000 System Points, 1 Random 4-Star Skill, 1 Random 4-Star Ability, Rainbow Feather.]
[Favorability Menu Unlocked:]
Pikachu: 10,000 / 10,000 (Unbreakable Bond)
Ho-Oh: 1,000 / 0 (Favored)
Ash and Pikachu stared at the flood of notifications in shock—then exchanged sheepish smiles.
Ash decided to save the system stuff for later. He'd look through everything once they reached Viridian City. Now wasn't the time.
Still, he paused in thought, then turned to Pikachu with a grin.
"What do you say we try out that quest and train a bit? You'll get used to your current body movements faster that way."
"Pika? Pi…Pikachu!" (Hmm? Yeah… you're right!)
Pikachu nodded in agreement.
"Alright, there's a perfect training spot nearby. Let's go!"
The two headed off toward a clearing with no trees—ready to train and grow stronger together.