First Step

'Alright Ash, since I'll be traveling with you, I'll be also a responsible adult who'll watch you for at least a year before I go off on my own.' Harry told Ash as they left town. Upon getting outside, Harry stopped walking, so Ash did too.

'Well I have no problem with that, Gary just left on a car with a bunch of cheerleaders.' Ash snorted.

'I doubt a car can survive bumpy travels unless his car tires are switched every now and then.' Harry snorted. 'On foot may be cumbersome but it's best way to go.' he said. 'Slow and steady wins. Doing things should not be rushed, or you'll miss things you'll come to regret too late.' he said. 'So, before you start throwing pokeballs at anything you see, you must have Pikachu battle them first and defeat them before you throw a pokeball. Now here's the hard part...how much does your mom earn in a month?'

'Eh? She runs Pallet House...'

'Ah, the local restaurant.' Harry nodded. 'Considering how many people are in town and given her menu...she earns about 90000 minimum and it's rare for her to reach 100000 pokedollars.' Ash's jaws dropped.

'We have that much money?!' Ash exclaimed. 'Mom never told me!'

'In theory yes, as that is your mother's TRUE income. She would have earned more, but she spends some of that to buy supplies to keep that restaurant running as well as maintenance, so your family has a budget of less than hundred thousand.' Harry told him. 'And family expenses between you and your mom reaches 29000. Bills, Groceries and Miscellaneous such as hobbies or new furniture, whatever, and your family annual tax of 9000 dollars. And now that you're traveling...watching your budget is a crucial skill.' he told Ash warningly.

'You cannot toss a ball at anything that moves or you'll bankrupt your mom.' Ash did a double-take. Pikachu listened while looking at Ash's reactions as Harry's teaching has begun. 'Some pokemon have small appetites, some normal by standards, and some impossible to keep. Like Snorlax who'll eat a whole forest by themselves thus a pest and calamity simply by existing, or Pokemon with odd diets that humans just can't give.' Harry explained. 'Say for example, in Infernape's homeland of Sinnoh Region, there's a pokemon that solely lives in mines in mountains because they can only eat metal is such an example. You gotta be wealthy with access to mines just to keep it healthy and happy.' Harry warned him. 'I want you to think as we travel. Will you settle for pokemon in Kanto, or will you travel and catch different ones after finding the few you like here? Keep in mind that you must give them all EQUAL attention and training as trainers can only carry six at a time.'

'Our...money...' Ash croaked out, actually thinking about it.

'Yup. Your family's not rich like Gary's so he can catch with impunity, but the question is, can he give them all equal attention, care and training if he went as far as catching a whole pokedex bar Legendaries?' Harry questioned him with a raised eyebrow. 'Think of pokemon you truly want to keep and train through bonding with them.' Harry advised. 'Quality over Quantity. What's Quantity if your pokemon are barely-trained because you can barely give them all attention they deserve? Quality means your catches may be few, but at least, they have all your time and care. Few they may be, but stronger, smarter and wiser. And not bankrupt your mother.'

'And lastly...your fighting style.'

'Fighting style?'

'Yes. How you prefer to fight with your pokemon as a team. Think on that. That will influence the moves you teach them, as well as their physical training. I will give you until we arrive in Viridian City to think on that matter, before you catch something with Pikachu. Remember what Pikachu knows, so you can teach him what he doesn't know. Pokemon risk their lives to become the best they can be. If they hit the limit in the wild, they decide to let humans catch them to be strong. But they either get good luck or bad luck...and Pikachu is a good example of that very bad luck.'

'I'll think on that Harry.' said Ash, really thinking now. 'Oh yeah, Pikachu!' he exclaimed. 'What food does he like? He says he likes your food and he was snacking on sour-sweet pokeblocks earlier. Could that be what he likes?'

'Yup, I like sour food!' said Pikachu with a grin. 'A little sweetness is OK but I like sour more!'

'Pikachu, as I told you Pokeblocks are medical candy, not exactly actual food.' Harry sweatdropped. 'I'll teach Ash how to make healthy sour food when we get to Viridian, OK?'

'You mean they're also medicine?!' Ash gawked at him. 'They're way too cute to be medicine, I just thought it's fancy candy!' as far as he knows, medicine doesn't look good OR taste good, they're disgusting!

'Yes. Pokeblock are ahem, beauty medicine for pokemon, not just candy.' Harry piped up, causing Ash to face-fault. 'Same for Sinnoh Region's Poffins, except, Poffins ARE food.' said Harry, taking out a pokeball. 'Come out, Pidgeot!' he took out Pidgeot who was...huge! He had mentally told Pidgeot he'll be out in a bit to show Ash as an example of good diet effects on pokemon.

'I know Pidgeot are big, but he's way overboard!' Pikachu and Ash shouted in disbelief as they had no idea Pidgeot is so big. Pidgeot just looked smug.

'Hmph! This good-looking stud I am now, is all thanks to my trainer!' said Pidgeot, behaving like a dandy, complete with wing gestures.

'See Pidgeot's bright-colored feathers and plumage on his head and tail? His colors are also very vibrantly-striking.' Harry waved an arm towards Pidgeot as Pidgeot posed around like a model on the runway. The newbies sweatdropped at his behavior. 'This is a result of eating Pokeblocks suited for him. For Pokeblock to be truly effective, it must be a recipe they really like. It means it's compatible for their bodies. A wild Pidgeot is normally around this size,' said Harry, conjuring an illusion of a typical wild Pidgeot that was a dwarf in comparison as a Pidgeot is a bit taller than Ash now while Harry's, is a frikkin giant. 'While a Trainer's Pidgeot can vary. That's because of healthy eating, and training designed for their bodies.'

'Wow, I wonder if Pikachu will get big if I feed him a lot.' Ash croaked out, earning him a karate-bonk on the head.

'Pikachu thrive in speed. In short they cannot gain too much weight!'

'Owww...'

'Pidgeot, patrol Route 1 and meet us in Viridian Pokemon Center by sundown.' Harry instructed Pidgeot.

'Alright!' and Pidgeot took off. Harry also let out Infernape and Miltank. Again, Ash admired their sizes. 'Let's walk the road!'

And so, they walked through Route 1

Ash looked around for stuff to catch.

But Harry's words kept repeating in his head.

...watching your budget is a crucial skill...

You cannot toss a ball at anything that moves or you'll bankrupt your mom...

What's Quantity if your pokemon are barely-trained because you can barely give them all attention they deserve?

Quality means your catches may be few, but at least, they have all your time and care.

Few they may be, but stronger, smarter and wiser. And not bankrupt your mother.

"I gotta pick those who'll help me win the league and I doubt they'll help me win..." Ash thought as he keeps seeing Pidgeys that kept following Harry's Pidgeot up in the sky, some Spearows, and some Rattatas. "A Pidgeot won't be too bad but uh...impossible right now." he thought with a sweatdrop as ALL of them are following Pidgeot! 'They're all following Pidgeot...'

'Pidgeot is a role model in becoming a Pidgeot so he's a celebrity in Route 1 and Professor Oak's Reserve. But Pidgey are very weak and timid. It doesn't help that their moves are weak. To train a Pidgey to become a Pidgeot, close supervision is needed, particularly in battle to evolve. Because of that, seeing a Pidgeotto in the wild are super-rare and a lucky find. To even SEE a Pidgeotto, it means they have actual ambition to change, not just dream about it. Doesn't help that they become snake-food as Ekans like Pidgey for a snack.'

'W-wow...'

At some point however, around lunch time...

'OK Ash, help me set these up.' said Harry, taking out camping cooking equipment, and a table by the river.

'You have a kitchen with you!' Ash gawked in disbelief, earning him a karate-bonk on the head.

'They're essential! Sometimes, towns and cities take weeks or more to get to on foot! So you must carry important travel goods to survive the forest.' Harry chided. 'As a traveler, you must bring your own tent, a sleeping bag, a lamp for light at night during dark, and during the day, camping equipment and a supply of food to use for cooking. Medicine and Equipment if you or your pokemon get hurt. Those essentials. And I can see you do not have those.' Ash balked at that. 'When we get to Viridian, shopping is in order and I'll teach you how to cook. Two dishes and a Poffin recipe per city and town we get into.'

'Right!'

So with instructions, Ash helped Harry set up lunch. They even built a fire pit.

'OK Ash, first lesson as a traveler...when cooking food on the go, you must always find a river. You can't make anything without water not to mention washing your stuff that you can't pack it back up! However, in places like a desert, you need a water-type pokemon to help you out. For a trainer, ALWAYS have fire and water with you on travels, if you're not skilled at making fire the hard way, or unable to find a river or a lake. See these equipment around? This is what you must have for food.'

Light foldable table, two pots, tools, etc. Harry even had a small axe to chop firewood with. He was a known psychic in Pallet Town 'capable of Telekinesis' as being a known Telepath will get people wary of him. It was safer to be a known Telekinetic. Even in Saffron City, nobody likes Telepaths, only appreciated in police work to force info out of crooks. With magic, Harry can easily make firewood, but he made Ash chop for him to learn.

Harry then taught Ash by example in how to make his first dish, a vegetable hot pot.

First was boiling water, then gradually add in flavorings until it reaches his desired taste levels. Then gradually add in the vegetables by timing to avoid overcooking them!

And their lunch is done.

Next was making pokemon food in another pot as they wait for their lunch to cool down a bit while Infernape stood guard.

'First is Pikachu's Poffins. He's a wee tiny fella, he'll need at least two Poffins to be full until we get to Viridian City for dinner.' said Harry. 'Infernape needs six, and Miltank needs two dozen if she's not snacking on shrubs, like now.' they glanced at Miltank munching on a nearby shrub.

'Oh don't mind me Harry! I prefer sweet leaves more~!'

'...what she said.' Infernape shrugged.

'Ah, well...'

Harry took out some berries.

'They're all...berries.' Ash blinked.

'Yup.' Harry also took out a mold for cylindrical shaping. 'Now then, for berries, always choose to bring those with thin skins or stuff that doesn't need peeling to make camping life easier. Berries like Aspear Berries have tough, thick skin with little to eat, a no-no on travels.' Harry tut-tutted with a finger wag. He began to teach Ash how to make them. For now, they made enough for a meal as after Pikachu's meal was done, Harry washed the mold for his use for Infernape's.

Then they had lunch.

"Hmm, this hotpot in Ash's taste isn't bad..." Harry thought as he tasted the broth. Ash made the flavoring broth before they dumped the vegetables in. "But I'll have to teach him flavor balance soon as anything can go wrong. For now I started off easy to teach him."

xxx

After lunch break and cleaning up, they traveled again.

Then in came rain, prompting Harry to cast Impervius on them. Too bad for Pidgeot but he should be sheltering somewhere.

'Wow, we're not wet at all!' Ash croaked, amazed and happy that they're not sopping wet.

'This is amazing!' Pikachu exclaimed. He hates rain and snow. TOO COLD. No underground hole was warm enough, but had to make do as long as it's shelter. No wind against bodis, just to his face.

'Rain-Free Barrier I call it! No wind around the body save for our heads so we can still breathe and stay warm in the cold!' said Harry cheerfully.

'Man, being a Psychic must be really cool.' Ash pouted. 'Can we learn it?'

'Not quite if you're unlucky with the powers you got.' Harry told him. 'Telekinesis is like an all-purpose tool but its effectiveness depends on how strong your imagination and willpower is. And Ash, you have to be BORN a Psychic. So psychics gather around local places like Saffron City where all Kanto's psychics are to get stronger per generation. As in, kids are born stronger than their parents. To be unlucky means you're born too weak in power, or born with too strong powers but with weak bodies that hurts you each use. Very few, me included, are lucky to be born with equal levels. Psychic humans and pokemon are basically glass cannons. Strong power to make up for our wet-paper-bag frailties. With the right tactic, anyone can take us down.'

'Oh...'

When the rain let out minutes later, they saw a rainbow with a golden bird.

'W-what is THAT?!' Ash squawked. 'A golden flying pokemon!'

'Damn we're lucky to see that one...' Harry marveled as their group looked up at the pokemon. 'Ho-Oh, a legendary pokemon. They say anyone who sees Ho-Oh will be blessed with happiness in years to come.'

'Wow...we're really lucky then!' Ash gasped out.

'I never thought I'd be forever happy too.' said Pikachu.

'Too bad Pidgeot missed out.' said Infernape.

'Let's uhh...not tell him. He'll throw a fit for sure.' said Harry weakly as everyone quickly agreed, unaware that elsewhere, Pidgeot also saw Ho-Oh while accompanying the lady Pidgeys.

In his mind however?

'Ohhh! What a pretty lady!'

'Hey?!'