By late morning, Chen Shi was sitting beside the riverside behind Professor Oak's lab, watching Ash and Gary skim stones across the water.
On a whim, he asked:
"Ash, what's your dream for the future?"
Ash clenched his little fists, eyes shining like newly polished Poké Balls.
"My dream? I'm gonna be a Pokémon Master!"
Gary instantly rolled his eyes.
"You? A Pokémon Master?
Please. At least memorize the type chart before talking big."
Ash froze, completely speechless.
Type chart?
That thing might as well have been ancient scripture to him.
No matter how hard he studied it, it never stuck.
Chen Shi chuckled softly.
"Ash, you do need to work hard. Without proper knowledge, it's hard to become a strong Trainer."
Ash nodded like a determined Pidgey.
"I understand, Chen Shi! I'll do my best!"
Gary's face darkened.
"And quit calling him 'big brother'! That makes my seniority lower than yours!"
"Why not? I wanna call him that!" Ash shot back.
And so—
the two kids started yelling again.
Chen Shi leaned back with a smile, letting them bicker.
This was their daily routine. They fought… then reconciled within minutes, usually by running off to chase some poor Butterfree.
Simple, innocent childhood.
Professor Oak walked over, standing beside Chen Shi as he watched the mini tornado of Ash vs. Gary whirl across the grass.
"Shi'er, my summer camp begins tomorrow. Lots of children will arrive. I'd like you to help me watch over them."
Chen Shi blinked.
Right—
Professor Oak's summer camp.
The one where Ash famously met Serena.
And it was starting tomorrow.
Chen Shi nodded immediately.
"No problem, Teacher. Keeping an eye on a group of kids isn't difficult."
Oak smiled. Clearly relieved.
He trusted Chen Shi with this completely.
Then Oak turned slightly, his gaze thoughtful.
"Shi'er… between Ash and Gary, who do you think will achieve more in the future?"
Chen Shi raised an eyebrow.
"Do you want an honest answer?"
"Of course. If not honesty, why bother asking?"
"Ash."
Oak paused—taken aback.
"…Ash?"
"Why? He can't even memorize type matchups. Gary's intellect and logic far surpass his."
Chen Shi glanced at Ash—still arguing, still full of light.
"Ash may look clumsy, and his talent isn't the highest…"
He smiled faintly.
"…but he has a rare gift—a pure heart."
"When I look into his eyes, I don't see distractions, pride, or ambition."
"I see love. Pure, unfiltered love for Pokémon."
"And I've always believed… the bond between a Trainer and their Pokémon is the most incredible power in the world."
"If Ash keeps walking this path—one day, he'll shock the entire world."
Oak fell silent.
After a moment, he spoke again:
"…And Gary? What about him? Speak honestly."
Chen Shi resisted the urge to laugh.
Oak really wanted the truth.
So he gave it.
"Gary has talent, no doubt. But his mentality is fragile. Too prideful. Too competitive."
"He'll face obstacles as a Trainer because of his own personality."
"But—his knowledge foundation is incredibly strong. And with your influence, Teacher, he'll likely become a Researcher."
Oak stared at him.
Chen Shi continued softly:
"Teacher… you already know this, don't you?"
Oak froze.
"…How did you know I realized it already?
What if I simply asked out of curiosity?"
Chen Shi chuckled.
"Teacher, no parent wants to admit their child isn't the most gifted."
"If Gary truly had overwhelming talent, you wouldn't need anyone else's opinion. You would be confident on your own."
"And Teacher—
you're not someone who enjoys flattery."
"If you believed Gary had greater potential than Ash, you wouldn't ask me at all."
Oak exhaled deeply.
He looked at Ash and Gary—now chasing a Butterfree together like they'd never argued.
"You're right."
"Ash… will likely go farther."
"Gary… his temperament worries me. I just hope he'll mature someday."
Chen Shi nearly choked on his laughter.
Mature?
This was the future playboy who traveled the world in a convertible with a fan club of girls waving pompoms behind him.
But he wisely kept that thought to himself.
Oak clapped his hands.
"Tomorrow's summer camp—keep a close eye on the kids. Every participant was selected carefully and entrusted to us by their parents."
"I'll send you the schedule later. You'll be in charge of security."
Chen Shi nodded.
"As long as they don't wander into the deep Viridian Forest, it'll be fine."
Of course, they actually had the ultimate insurance:
Dragonite.
Professor Oak's Legendary-Peak monster would almost certainly shadow them from afar.
No one was getting hurt under Dragonite's watch.
Oak nodded.
"I won't let them near the deep forest. All activities will stay on the outskirts."
"Then everything will be fine."
Chen Shi cupped his hands around his mouth.
"Ash, Gary—come here. I have something to tell you."
The two mini hurricanes stopped mid-fight and sprinted over.
"What is it, Chen Shi?" Ash asked eagerly.
Gary glared at him just for saying "Chen Shi" too affectionately.
Chen Shi smiled.
"Tomorrow is Teacher's summer camp. Don't oversleep. It's rude to make people wait."
He remembered the original timeline clearly—
Ash had famously overslept and arrived embarrassingly late.
Time to fix that.
Gary lifted his chin smugly.
"I won't be like someone who sleeps like a Snorlax. I'll definitely be early."
Ash scratched his cheek, embarrassed.
"…I understand. I'll get up early tomorrow."
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