Chapter 9: Departure

"Mom…" The two walked in silence toward the edge of Pallet Town, the air thick with the bittersweet feeling of parting.

The closer they got to the town's exit, the heavier the atmosphere became. Finally, Ash broke the silence.

"I guess this is where we say goodbye."

"Hmm…" Delia stopped walking, her gaze softening as she looked at her son. He was nearly as tall as she was now, a reminder of how quickly he was growing up.

"So… I'm leaving," Ash said, his excitement for the journey overshadowed by a sense of melancholy. He lowered his head slightly, feeling a twinge of sadness.

Feeling Ash's emotions, Pikachu gently patted Ash's head, offering comfort without words.

"It's okay, Pikachu," Ash reassured him after a moment of reflection. He took a deep breath and looked up, forcing a smile. After adjusting his feelings for a bit, he felt more composed. "I'll be fine."

"Just be careful on your journey," Delia cautioned, her worry still evident.

She had said this many times before, but each time, it felt as important as the first.

"If you run into danger, try to avoid it. Don't get hurt…"

Suddenly, she paused, her eyes brightening.

"And remember to ride the tailwind all the way!"

"Goodbye, Mom!" Ash nodded vigorously, feeling a wave of determination wash over him.

He bowed slightly before turning to leave, pushing aside any lingering sadness and stepping resolutely into the world beyond Pallet Town.

Delia watched as Ash walked away, her heart heavy. She remained standing until he disappeared from view, understanding that her young eagle was meant to soar.

All she could do was ensure she wasn't a stumbling block on his journey.

...

After walking in silence for more than ten minutes, Pikachu finally spoke up, patting Ash's head again. "Pika…"

"It's okay, Pikachu," Ash replied, managing a smile as he recognized Pikachu's comforting gesture. He felt a bit lighter now. 

"So… what do we do now?" Ash paused, moving into the shade of a nearby tree.

He needed to think about his next steps. His immediate goal was to reach Viridian City, which was not too far from Pallet Town.

However, there were several considerations to make along the way.

He could choose to push forward relentlessly toward Viridian City without stopping or take the time to train and battle.

The first option meant avoiding any dangers of sleeping in the wilderness; the second would allow both him and Pikachu to grow stronger, albeit at a slower pace.

The area around Pallet Town was ideal for battling Starter level Pokémon, but there were not many powerful Pokémon in the vicinity.

Even the leaders of any groups he might encounter wouldn't be stronger than a typical Pokémon of level 20.

"By the way…" Ash suddenly remembered something about the system.

When he had caught Pikachu, the system had hinted at a lottery draw. He felt a spark of excitement at the possibility.

His system had more functions than just displaying attributes.

With this revelation, he realized he had underestimated it. He called the system to mind, and an interface appeared before him.

Aside from displaying Pokémon attributes, there were three additional tabs: achievements, goals, and lottery.

Out of curiosity, Ash didn't rush to the lottery option. Instead, he decided to explore the achievements first.

[Starter Pokémon: Obtain your first Pokémon] 

Reward: Lottery Draw x1 (Completed)

This was the only achievement listed in light, the rest still grayed out.

[The First Victory: Fight against a Trainer and win a victory] 

Reward: Lottery Draw x1 (Completed)

Both achievements granted him lottery draws. It seemed that accomplishing certain tasks rewarded him with chances to draw from the lottery.

While he didn't know what he could win, it was certainly better than nothing.

Beneath these two entries, Ash noticed a variety of other achievements.

They included catching his first Pokémon, obtaining a Gym Badge for the first time, and collecting eight Badges from a single region.

He even saw an entry for capturing a legendary Pokémon, which left him momentarily speechless.

Legendaries weren't just game mechanics; they were real legends in the world.

Their strength was such that even a champion's full team wouldn't necessarily hold an advantage against them.

"Don't get too caught up in achievements," Ash muttered to himself.

"I'll accomplish those things whether or not they're listed here." Even without a checklist, he was determined to pursue these goals.

His gaze shifted to the next tab: Goals.

Upon opening the goals interface, he found it far simpler. There was only one entry:

[Obtain the Second Pokémon] 

Reward: Lottery Draw x1

"That's… simple," Ash remarked, surprised at the straightforwardness. He hadn't anticipated rewards for meeting his goals, much less a lottery draw for completing this one.

He felt that recovering his second Pokémon was now essential.

Initially, he had planned to wait, but with the possibility of earning two lottery draws by capturing it now, it seemed wise to act quickly.

Still, he wanted to see what was available on the lottery interface before proceeding with his plans.

"Let's check out the lottery drawing interface first," Ash said, shifting his focus to that section. He opened it, eager to discover what kind of rewards awaited him.

_________________

Adios