"Pichu, use Iron Tail!"
"Pi… Pi… Pichu!"
A small yellow figure burst forward like a dart. Twisting mid-air with agile grace, Pichu's tail gleamed with a metallic sheen—bright silver in the afternoon light. It spun swiftly, creating a swirl of dust and air, before slamming into a large rock.
BOOM!
The rock, roughly the size of a 30-liter water bucket, shattered into fragments—scattered like shattered glass across the training field.
Standing nearby, a boy between ten and twelve years old smiled proudly. His name was Allen, and his eyes reflected satisfaction as he watched the powerful performance of his first Pokémon partner.
Despite still being in its first evolutionary stage, Pichu had displayed incredible strength. And the most surprising part? They had only been training together for a year.
Allen never showed this progress to his parents. They were almost always busy with work, often away from home, leaving him alone. And maybe that was for the best—for now.
He approached his partner and gave him a reassuring nod.
"Well done, Pichu. Let's take a break."
Allen was never the kind of trainer to push his Pokémon to the limit just for the sake of results. He believed in consistent progress and balanced care. Even with the limited support from his parents, he had asked for and received some PokéBlocks—nutrient-rich snacks ideal for Pokémon development.
But Allen didn't stop there. Over the past three years, even before he officially received Pichu, he had been experimenting with food recipes. He wanted to create custom nutritional meals—and eventually, with the help of his system, he succeeded. After completing the quest of obtaining his first partner, the system rewarded him with the recipe for Allen's Original Pokéfood, tailored just for Pichu.
[Ding!]
[Pichu CP has reached 150.]
[Partner: Pichu]
Species: Electric Mouse Pokémon
Item: Iron Scale—[Draws iron energy around the Pokémon, increasing proficiency with Iron-type moves.]
CP: 150 (Mid-Basic Tier)
Potential: Blue (Comparable to Ash's Pikachu)
[Note: Potential increases with every CP milestone.]
Skills:
Quick Attack [Low-Tier 0]
Thunder Shock [Mid-Tier 0]
Iron Tail [High-Tier 0]
Thunder Wave [Mid-Tier 0] (Egg Move)
Scratch [High-Tier 0] (Egg Move)
Allen's eyes lit up.
"Yes! That's it! Iron Tail upgraded to High Tier… that gave a +30 CP boost!"
A small but genuine smile spread across his face. He reviewed the CP distribution in his head:
High-tier skills gave +30 CP
Mid-tier skills gave +20 CP
Low-tier skills gave +10 CP
Notably, Thunder Wave didn't increase CP directly. Instead, it had evolved Thunder Shock to Mid Tier automatically, a hidden benefit Allen hadn't expected. Similarly, when Scratch evolved into Mid Tier, Pichu naturally learned Quick Attack, further adding +10 CP.
Originally, when Allen first got Pichu, its CP was only 40. Its moves—Thunder Shock, Scratch, and Thunder Wave—were all at Low Tier back then.
It took time to bond.
Pichu was timid, often nervous about his surroundings. Allen didn't know why at first, but he respected the little guy's boundaries. Slowly, with gentle encouragement, Pichu started opening up.
Unlike Ash's Pichu, this one never accidentally shocked Allen. Instead, it clung to him quietly, almost too shy to ask for play or attention.
To build their bond, Allen downloaded as many cool Pikachu and Raichu battles as he could from his system's media archive. He would show them to Pichu during their downtime. One particular battle showed a Pikachu elegantly using Iron Tail—and from that moment, Pichu was hooked.
It watched the clip over and over. Allen could see the fire in its eyes.
Destiny, Allen thought. It felt like fate.
And so, he decided: Pichu would learn Iron Tail.
It was the perfect move to counter Rock-type Pokémon, Pichu's natural disadvantage.
To aid the training, Allen purchased an Iron Scale from the system store, spending 100 points from the Beginner's Package. He equipped it to Pichu's invisible item slot—hidden from others, but effective nonetheless.
By the third month, Pichu had successfully learned Iron Tail.
Now, a year later, they trained almost every day.
Pichu followed Allen even during his 5 km cycling routines—and eventually built enough stamina to keep up for the entire 10 km ride and run.
The timid, uncertain Pichu from a year ago had grown. Stronger. Braver. More determined.
Walking side by side with Pichu, Allen reached down and gently patted the little Pokémon's head.
"Pii~!"
Pichu squeaked in delight, eyes closing as it leaned into the soft touch. Its yellow fur was incredibly plush—so warm and silky that Allen couldn't help but smile. Despite the small body and docile appearance, Allen knew better.
This cute little guy had just crushed a 50- to 60-kilogram boulder earlier with a single, whip-like strike of its glowing tail. That kind of raw power, hidden beneath such an innocent exterior, made Allen proud—and occasionally awestruck.
"We'll go for a jog and wrap up today's training after that," Allen said casually, watching Pichu finish the last bits of his custom-made meal. "Mom and Dad should be back soon."
Pichu nodded eagerly, cheeks twitching a little from leftover excitement. Allen finished his juice and quietly cleaned up their small training area before heading over to fetch his bicycle.
Before he even touched the handlebars, Pichu dashed forward, sparks of energy trailing behind.
Neither of them believed in taking things slowly.
With a smile tugging at his lips, Allen mounted the cycle, and the two of them took off—boy and Pokémon racing through the neighborhood streets with practiced rhythm.
They weren't just having fun.
This was part of the training.
Their little races had become a daily routine, and the locals had gotten used to seeing the energetic pair zoom by. Some waved, others just smiled, watching with quiet amusement. It was hard not to be charmed by Allen's spirited nature and the bond he shared with his Pokémon.
"Allen, don't rush too much!"
A warm voice called out from a porch across the street—Old Granny Mella, the friendly neighbor who had known Allen since he was a toddler.
Allen glanced back with a cheerful wave and a nod, but his feet never eased up on the pedals.
This was part of their schedule, and Pichu was already picking up speed, using Quick Attack mid-run to increase his sprint burst.
This wasn't just play—it was training with purpose.
They had a clear goal:
To improve Pichu's mastery over Quick Attack and raise its tier.
In this world, there were no experience bars or level-ups like in games. Pokémon grew stronger not through abstract numbers, but through real progress—developing their bodies, mastering techniques, and following a strict, nutritious diet.
There was a system in place—Allen's system—but the world itself functioned like reality.
Here, strength was measured in tiers, not levels.
At first, Allen had been confused. He expected stats, experience points, and battle-grinding mechanics. But slowly, he learned.
To increase Pichu's Combat Power (CP), it wasn't enough to just use a move.
The Pokémon had to master the motion, refine the coordination between muscles and energy, and condition its body to withstand the physical strain of high-tier skills.
A move like Iron Tail wasn't just about channeling electric power—it required muscle control, timing, torque, and a toughened body that could endure the backlash of delivering such a powerful strike.
That's why Allen had invested so much effort in crafting a perfect high-protein diet, specifically tailored to Pichu's physiology using recipes gifted by the system.
And yet… despite all the training… despite the strength...
Pichu's tiny body hadn't changed at all.
Still small. Still fluffy. Still unbelievably cute.
After an intense race, it was Pichu who claimed victory once again. The little electric mouse stood at the imaginary finish line, chest puffed out and eyes gleaming with pride.
Allen chuckled, walking over to his tiny companion and gently patting his head.
"As expected of my little master," he said warmly.
Pichu let out a cheerful squeak and, without hesitation, leapt up onto Allen's shoulder.
His red cheek pouches gave off a tiny static zap—a mild sting against Allen's neck. But Allen was used to it by now. Pichu had made a habit of perching on his shoulder whenever he was happy or excited.
Back in the beginning, though, Pichu had been extremely self-conscious about it. Every accidental jolt of electricity made him anxious, thinking he was hurting Allen. He would flinch, look down in guilt, and even try to keep his distance.
But with time—and a lot of gentle reassurance—Pichu realized something important: Allen never minded the little shocks. Not once.
That realization changed something. Since then, jumping onto Allen's shoulder became part of their daily rhythm—just another way of expressing their unspoken bond.
As Allen opened the door and stepped inside their cozy home, he was immediately greeted by a warm, familiar voice.
"Allen! Welcome back, baby~!"
A beautiful woman in her early twenties rushed toward him with open arms. She had long, flowing chestnut hair, a slim, graceful frame, and a face that radiated youth and warmth.
This was Zena Lenis, Allen's mother.
Not a character from any anime—but someone unique to this world.
Allen had learned, bit by bit, that Zena came from a prominent family—the kind with money, influence, and rigid expectations. But at some point, she broke away from them, choosing a different path, and married his father instead.
"I'm back—and welcome home to you too, Mom," Allen replied with a smile.
Zena pulled him into a tight hug, which Allen returned with a wry grin. Despite having the mind of someone older from his past life, these affectionate moments still managed to warm his heart.
Normally, Zena stayed home and handled things around the house. But lately, her work had taken her away for several days at a time. She always made up for it, though, spending extra time with Allen whenever she returned.
During those times, Allen naturally reduced his training sessions with Pichu. He didn't want to worry her—or let her see too soon just how far Pichu had come.
But now...
After over a year of secret training, the thought kept tugging at his mind:
Should I finally show her?
Show her just how powerful Pichu had become.
How much they'd grown together.
Maybe it was time to stop hiding it.
Maybe… he wanted to surprise her—not with mischief, but with pride.
Allen held onto that thought as his mother pulled back slightly and smiled, brushing a hand through his hair.
"You've gotten taller again, haven't you?" she teased.
Allen rolled his eyes but didn't deny it.
In his previous life, he had read countless fanfics about reincarnating into the Pokémon world. More often than not, the main character was either an orphan, a loner, or joined shady organizations like Team Rocket—the kind of routes that led straight to chaos or death.
But Allen?
He had something none of those protagonists had: a family.
A loving mother. A supportive father.
A real home.
It wasn't filled with grand drama or battles for survival—just warm meals, hugs, and quiet encouragement.
At first, being doted on had felt strange, even embarrassing.
But over time, he had come to understand the truth.
Being loved wasn't a weakness.
It was a rare kind of strength.
And in this life, Allen had decided he would embrace it.