Cherreads

Chapter 4 - Chapter - 4 Time Skip 6 Years And Progress

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[Scene: 6 Years Later – Lazy Pond Fishing]

"Six years…"

Ash was lying flat on his back under a big shady tree, hat tilted over his eyes, arms stretched behind his head. Next to him, his old fishing rod bobbed lazily in the pond. The only thing biting today?

Magikarp.

Lots and lots of Magikarp.

"Ugh…" Ash groaned, peeking one eye open. "Is this pond cursed or something?"

He glanced over at the water just in time to see another Magikarp leap majestically into the air… and flop right back with a splash.

"That's the tenth one today! And they all stare at me like they're judging me…"

He sat up, watching his rod tip wiggle pathetically.

"I swear, if I catch another one, I'm naming it Bob the Splash King and making him a mascot."

Giving up for now, he let the rod stay in the pond and flopped back under the tree with a dramatic sigh.

As he stared up at the leaves overhead, his thoughts drifted.

"…Can't believe it's been six years. Missions, sign-ins, school, training, dodging homework…"

He chuckled.

"Made friends with Gary—yeah, that guy.

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[Flashback: The Origins of a Rivalry-Friendship]

Long before Pokémon School or wild Mankey chases, Ash and Gary knew each other. Their bond started not at a battlefield—but at Professor Oak's ranch.

Delia, Ash's mom, had once been one of Professor Oak's top students. She'd often help out at the lab and ranch, sometimes dragging little Ash along. Daisy Oak, Gary's older sister, also visited often, usually bringing her grumpy little brother in tow.

Whenever the two boys met, it was instant chaos.

"Bet my Squirtle plush could beat your Pikachu plush," Gary would sneer.

"Oh yeah? Your Squirtle looks like it was chewed on by a Rattata!" Ash snapped back.

It was fate. Wherever Ash went, Gary somehow appeared—and vice versa. They'd race tricycles around the lab, argue about which Pokémon was cooler, and blame each other when Tauros got loose (again).

Yet... if Ash scraped his knee, Gary would toss him a bandage—while looking away and muttering, "It's not like I care or anything, dummy."

And when Gary got scolded for trying to ride a Doduo backwards, Ash always shared his lunch—even if it was just a jelly sandwich with the crusts still on.

Tsundere? 100%.

They grew up side by side—insulting each other, daring each other, secretly having each other's backs. And while neither would ever admit it out loud...

They were best friends. Just... with bonus snark.

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*Another incident*

Ash had just opened his lunchbox under the shade of the tree —rice balls, a juice box, and a questionable "mystery sandwich" from Delia—when Gary ,who was also fishing, swaggered over, arms crossed, smirk in place.

"Well, well," Gary said smugly, "Still eating like a preschooler, huh, Ashy-boy?"

Ash rolled his eyes. "Still acting like a cartoon villain, huh, Gary?"

They glared.

The tension was thick.

A Spearow chirped dramatically in the background.

Then... both of their lunchboxes were snatched by a wild Mankey out of nowhere.

"HEY!" they shouted in unison, chasing after the banana thief.

Thirty chaotic minutes later, they were sitting under a tree, clothes torn, faces dirty, and juice boxes half-crushed... but laughing.

"I can't believe you tried to bribe it with ketchup," Gary wheezed.

Ash grinned. "Hey, it works with Pichu sometimes!"

They looked at each other. Then something clicked.

"Wanna team up for next time there's a field project?" Ash asked, sipping his juice.

Gary smirked. "As long as you don't bring another mystery sandwich."

"Deal."

And from that day forward, the rivalry didn't exactly vanish—it just turned into friendship with a side of competitive chaos.

*Flash back Ends*

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Got teamed up with Leaf—she still threatens to throw Pokéballs at my head. Yellow keeps giving me weird berries. And Professor Oak lets me help at his ranch?"

Ash blinked, then snorted.

"Still can't believe he trusted me with the Tauros. One of them chased me through the field because I accidentally spilled ketchup on its tail."

The fishing rod jerked again.

"…Bet it's another Magikarp," he muttered, not even getting up. "Or maybe one evolved out of boredom."

He turned to the side and dozed off, mumbling, "Wake me up when Gyarados shows up…"

Ash lay under the shade of the big tree beside the pond, his fishing pole lazily bobbing in the water, completely abandoned. After catching nothing but Magikarp all morning, he'd declared fishing "the most useless skill in the entire universe" and drifted off into a nap with a half-eaten rice ball still clutched in his hand.

Plop... splish...

A round pair of eyes peeked from the water. A mischievous little Poliwag swam closer to the shore, eyeing Ash's relaxed, snoring form.

Then—with absolutely no warning—it fired a perfect Water Gun straight at Ash's face.

SPLASH!

"WAAAAH!" Ash bolted upright, flailing like a startled Psyduck. "WHO—WHAT—WHY AM I DRENCHED?!"

He blinked, soaking wet, hair plastered to his face, and then locked eyes with a grinning Poliwag wobbling on the shore.

"You…" he growled, pointing dramatically.

Poliwag gave a cute giggle, its tail wiggling playfully.

Ash lunged. "GET BACK HERE, YOU SLIPPERY CIRCLE!"

But the little rascal squeaked and dove straight into the water with a splash, vanishing beneath the surface like a true ninja of the pond.

Ash stood at the edge, dripping wet, fuming and holding his now-soaked rice ball.

"…This is exactly why I hate fishing."

He heard laughter in the distance—probably Gary.

"Poliwag: 1, Ash: 0," Ash muttered.

---

Ash stood by the pond, still dripping wet from Poliwag's surprise attack. His fishing pole was now forgotten, his soaked clothes sticking to him uncomfortably. He narrowed his eyes at the water, his hand clenched into a fist.

"I swear, I'll get back at that Poliwag one day," he muttered to himself, gritting his teeth. "Just you wait..."

The pink system chimed in, clearly amused by his situation.

[SYSTEM UPDATE: Poliwag Encounter - Ash 0, Poliwag 1]

[SYSTEM ANALYSIS: "Looks like that water didn't just wet you... it drenched your pride, too, huh?"]

Ash sighed, feeling like he couldn't win today. "Thanks for the support, really."

[Anytime, MASTER. Next time, maybe try not sleeping so close to a water-type Pokémon]

Ash smirked despite himself. "You know what? I'll take revenge eventually."

With that, he decided to check his progress over the years. First, he pulled up his Daily Sign-in System Rewards list, which he had unlocked with consistent logins and dedication.

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{Daily Sign-in System Rewards – Ash's Collection featuring Pokéballs, berries, evolution items, trainer gear, and outfits}:-

[A/N:- 6 years-2192 days he gets 2-3 rewards every day, his inventory is filled with items okay ? HE IS LOADED! FILTHY RICH KID !]

Poké Balls:

Poké Ball × MANY

Great Ball × LOT

Ultra Ball × LOAD

Luxury Ball × MULTIPLE

Quick Ball × BUNDLE

Timer Ball × STACK

Net Ball × SEVERAL

Dive Ball × SEVERAL

Dusk Ball × SEVERAL

Heal Ball × PLENTY

Friend Ball × HANDFUL

Love Ball × FEW

Fast Ball × FEW

Repeat Ball × STACK

Moon Ball × FEW

Lure Ball × SEVERAL

Dream Ball × SOME

Heavy Ball × SOME

Beast Ball × FEW

Premier Ball × BONUS BATCH

Master Ball ×1 (ultra-rare)

Berries:

HP Recovery:

Oran, Sitrus, Enigma – Multiple bundles

Status Cures:

Cheri, Chesto, Pecha, Rawst, Aspear, Lum – Large variety

Stat/Flavor Boosters:

Liechi, Ganlon, Salac, Petaya, Apicot – Mixed supply

EV Reduction:

Pomeg, Kelpsy, Qualot, Hondew, Grepa, Tamato – Full stock

Damage Reduction:

Occa, Passho, Wacan, Rindo, Yache, Chople, Kebia, Shuca

Coba, Payapa, Tanga, Charti, Kasib, Haban, Colbur, Babiri – Balanced amount

Miscellaneous:

Leppa, Figy, Wiki, Mago, Aguav, Iapapa – Consistent refill

Evolution Items:

Elemental Stones:

Fire, Water, Thunder, Leaf, Ice – Full set (69 each)

Rare Stones:

Moon, Sun, Shiny, Dusk, Dawn, Oval – Mixed collection

Held Evo Items:

Metal Coat, King's Rock, Razor Claw, Razor Fang – Several of each

Others:

Everstone – Handy amount

Mega Stones – Some (species-specific)

[A/N:-I haven't decided yet. I will think about it later]

Key Stone ×1 – Special reward milestone

Trainer Gear:

Wearables:

Trainer Boots – Speed enhancing

Trainer Shirts – Charisma/comfy

Trainer Jeans – Durable battle wear

Trainer Jackets – Weather resistant

Trainer Gloves – Better Pokéball grip

Trainer Goggles – Sandstorm protection

Utility Gear:

Backpacks – Expanded inventory

Pokédex Skins – Custom designs

Training Equipment – Weight belts, stat bands,macho brace, etc

Transport Gear:

Bicycle 2x

Roller Skates 3x

Poké-themed Convertible (like Gary's) 1x

Outfits & Fashion:

Trainer Wear:

Pikachu Hoodie

Lucario Tracksuit

Gardevoir Gown

Eevee Joggers

Snorlax Pajamas

Gengar Beanie

Accessories:

Stylish Gloves and outfits

Black Gloves (for keystone)

Currency:

PokéDollars Earned:

Several thousand across 6 years

Will be Used for:

Buying supplies

Customizing rooms

Entry fees for events

Trainer snacks & fashion upgrades

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Ash stared at the list. It had grown quite long over the years, and he was amazed by how much he had accumulated just by signing in daily.

"Man, I've really come a long way," Ash thought as he scrolled. "I mean, I've got a Master Ball now… and all these evolution stones?"

Next, he pulled up his Status Screen to check his current stats.

[A/N:-I am still working on his status]

[STATUS]

[Name - Ash Ketchum ]

Passive skills/title effect:

Skills:

Trainer Bonding (Lv. 1 - Boosts Friendship and Affection with Pokémon)

Fishing (Beginner) (Lv. 1)

Poké Speak (Lv. 1)

Luck Boost (Lv. 1)

Etc.

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Ash smiled as he looked over his status. Sure, there was still room for improvement, but he had made so much progress over the years.

"That's it," Ash said, a fire of determination in his eyes. "I'll make sure that Poliwag regrets the day it made me wet!"

The system chimed in again.

[Good luck with that, Host. You may need a little more than fishing skills to get revenge]

"Don't remind me..." Ash grumbled, but he couldn't help but smile thinking about the next summer camp.

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"Hey everyone 👋 How's it going? Writing fanfics is seriously exhausting, huh? But, anyway, how's the story going so far? Any thoughts or suggestions? I'm curious!

I'm not planning on dragging things out too much—i will only keep it around 3-5 chapters before we dive into the adventure! But before that, I still have a few things to sort out:

1. Naming the Systems: We can't just keep calling them the "golden one" and "pink one"—that's way too confusing! Any cool name ideas for them?

2. Mega Evolution Stones 🧬: Which ones should I give Ash for now? Keep in mind, there's still 4 more years ahead, so I'll be adding more rewards as we go, but let me know your thoughts!

3. Status Screen: So, there are two systems here. The golden one will be clean and only show Pokémon-related stuff, and the pink one will be more mature and include adult content. Got any good skill and title ideas for each?

Oh, and as for the summer camp—I'm not writing that just yet. I think it'll be better as a flashback when Ash meets other characters, so we'll save that for later.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions, and I can't wait to see what you all come up with! 👍"

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