POKEMON : THE WAY OF PERCEPTION

"We're companions from now on, Bulbasaur!" Ash said warmly as he released Bulbasaur from its Poké Ball. He squatted down and extended his right hand toward his newest team member.

"Bulba—!" Without hesitation, Bulbasaur extended a vine and placed it on Ash's hand.

"Pika! Pika-chu!" Pikachu chirped excitedly and threw itself onto Bulbasaur in an enthusiastic hug. Bulbasaur, while slightly stiff from Pikachu's affection, did not seem to mind too much.

"Great, Bulbasaur…" Melanie said softly, though her voice carried a hint of sadness. She smiled as she watched Bulbasaur interact with Ash and Pikachu. Though it was bittersweet to say goodbye, Melanie knew Ash was the right trainer for Bulbasaur.

With Ash, Bulbasaur would never face abandonment or neglect. Melanie believed that under Ash's care, Bulbasaur would achieve its full potential.

"Bulba…" Bulbasaur nodded to Melanie, its vine trembling slightly with emotion. Breaking free from Pikachu's embrace, it turned and ran to the Pokémon gathered near Melanie.

"Bulba, bulba… bulba!" Bulbasaur began speaking to the Pokémon, explaining its decision to leave.

The Pokémon, initially confused and panicked, struggled to comprehend that Bulbasaur would no longer be there to protect them.

"Bulba! Bulba, bulba!" Bulbasaur rebuked them firmly. Its tone was resolute, urging them to understand that its departure was necessary for their growth. Staying behind would only hinder them.

Oddish was the first to respond. "Oddish… Odd!" it chirped, promising Bulbasaur it would not let it down. Slowly, the other Pokémon began to nod and cheer in agreement, signaling their determination to grow stronger on their own.

Bulbasaur smiled brightly, a rare look of contentment spreading across its face. It nodded at the Pokémon, reassured that they would manage in its absence.

"All right, everyone, it's time for dinner!" Melanie called out cheerfully once Bulbasaur had finished speaking.

The Pokémon quickly gathered around Melanie, their excitement for food pushing aside their sadness. Bulbasaur, however, stood apart, quietly watching the scene. It hesitated for a moment before returning to Ash's side, a hint of loneliness in its eyes.

"Didn't I tell you that you'd meet more companions?" Ash said, placing a comforting hand on Bulbasaur's head. "Well… let's meet them now!"

Ash reached for his Poké Balls and released Pidgeotto and Beedrill. "These are your teammates!" he said with a grin.

Not wanting to be left out, Misty and Brock followed Ash's example, releasing their Pokémon so they could all get acquainted with Bulbasaur.

Seeing so many new faces, Bulbasaur's loneliness began to fade. It happily interacted with its new companions, its spirits lifted by their warm welcome.

---

That night, Misty and Melanie stayed in the house, while Ash and Brock set up tents outside. Wrapped in sleeping bags, they prepared to spend the night under the stars.

Before Brock returned from washing up, Ash decided to use the reward draw he had been saving.

The familiar slot-machine interface appeared before him. With practiced ease, Ash initiated the spin. After a few tense seconds, the wheel stopped, and the prize name lit up: [Secret Technique: Aerial Ace].

"Aerial Ace?" Ash muttered, raising an eyebrow. He had already won an Aerial Ace Technical Machine in a previous draw. Was this another one?

He scratched his head, unsure whether to consider himself lucky or unlucky. "Learning devices are convenient," Ash mused, "but they have their limitations. Still, they're a nice shortcut to mastering moves without extensive training."

Ash was about to dismiss it as an ordinary reward when he claimed the prize. To his shock, what appeared in his hand wasn't a CD-like device but a glowing orb of light.

"A light orb…? Is this… an inheritance light group?" Ash gasped.

The orb looked strikingly similar to the crimson lightning-infused orb he had received with the [Osiris' Soaring Sky Dragon Legacy]. However, this orb was pure white, its texture soft and fluffy like cotton candy.

"So, this isn't just an Aerial Ace learner…" Ash said, narrowing his eyes as he examined the orb. He opened the description to understand it better.

---

[Secret Technique: Aerial Ace]

Description: A secret move passed down from the legendary swordsman Sasaki Kojirō in the FATE series.

Effect: The user executes a single flash that transcends time and space. The move creates overlapping attacks from three directions simultaneously, making it unavoidable.

Available Pokémon: Pikachu, Pidgeotto, Beedrill

---

"Sasaki Kojirō's Aerial Ace from FATE?" Ash murmured in disbelief. He was stunned by the concept of the technique—a series of perfectly timed, unavoidable strikes that distorted dimensions.

Ash held his chin thoughtfully. The move sounded incredible, but it had its limits. "Against opponents of the same level, this technique is unstoppable. But if the opponent is much stronger… three hits wouldn't make much of a difference if they don't cause any damage."

He sighed, his excitement tempered by practicality. "Still, it's an incredible move. I can't believe I got this. Maybe Bulbasaur is my lucky charm!"

Ash's lips curled into a smile as he placed the light orb back into the system's storage. He decided not to assign the move just yet. Choosing which Pokémon would inherit it required careful thought.

---

Brock returned to the campsite a few minutes later, holding a small bag.

"Lu Cheng told me a trick to finding fresh water sources," Brock said, setting the bag down.

Ash glanced up. "Lu Cheng? Who's that?"

"He's a traveling researcher I met a while back," Brock explained. "He had a lot of tips about wilderness survival. I thought of him when I found that spring earlier."

Ash nodded, though his mind quickly returned to the events of the day. He lay back on his sleeping bag, staring up at the starry sky. His gaze shifted to Pikachu and Bulbasaur, who were sleeping peacefully side by side.

"Today really was a lucky day," Ash thought. "Even with the rainstorm, meeting Bulbasaur made it all worth it. And now, this secret technique…"

He smiled, finally letting himself feel the excitement he had been holding back.

"Sometimes, things just work out," Ash whispered, his eyes growing heavy. With a contented sigh, he drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the adventures yet to come.

---