Prologue

Ash Ketchum was really happy. She circled around her mother as they went to Prof. Oak's lab. Once they got to the front door, the six-year-old stopped by her mother's side. Delia knocked on the door. A few minutes later a gray-haired male opened the door and smiled.

"Hello, Delia, hello, Ash. Let me guess, you're here to play with the Pokemon out back again?" he asked Ash with a knowing smile.

"Uh-yes!" Ash said happily.

"Well, go on and go play with the Pokemon," Prof. Oak said.

Ash nodded, then ran to the back of the lab. Oak then looked to a giggling Delia. "Come on, I'm sure your old Pokemon would love to be with you for a while."

Delia nodded and went into the with the professor. Both were happy…but it would not last.

…Later, Back of Lab…

Ash was having a blast. First, she had played tag with a Tangela, Oddish, and a few Rattata. Next, she got to ride on a friendly Onix's back. Right now she was playing hide-and-seek with a Bellsprout, Poliwag, and a Venonat. She was looking closely for them. That's when it happened.

An explosion happened barely a yard in front of her; the force of the explosion knocked her to the ground. A split second later she felt an… energy hit the side of her head. The last thing she saw was people with R's on their shirts.

…?…

Pain, that was what Ash first felt when she gained consciousness. Her head hurt like hell. She let out a low groan.

"Gramps! Mrs. Ketchum! She's waking up!" a voice that sounded like Gary's called out. For some reason it felt like she could feel Gary close by her. She was too tired to actually open her eyes at the moment. She then heard two people come up to where she was laying down.

"Ash! Sweety! How do you feel?" Delia asked worriedly.

"I can't really tell right now, my head hurts too much," Ash said, then asked the question that was bugging her. "What happened, Mom?"

It wasn't her mother that answered, but Prof. Oak. "A group called Team Rocket attacked the lab and tried to steal some Pokemon. We were able to stop and catch most of them, but… well, I think you should open your eyes to find out the rest."

It took a few minutes for what she said to process in her brain, but when it did, she opened her eyes… Everything was blurry! She could only see masses of different colored and disfigured shapes.

"Huh? What's happened to me? Why is everything blurry?" Ash asked aloud and tried to push herself up from what she believed was a hospital bed and noticed… something else. She tried to wiggle her toes and move her legs, but it did nothing. All she felt was a numb feeling. She looked at the lower half of her body as the two adults in the room helped her into a sitting position and adjusted the bed she was on. She could (just barely) make out the blurry outline of her legs. "Mom… why aren't my legs moving?" the six-year-old asked slowly and fearfully.

"Ash, sweety… you got very hurt in that attack. The doctors say they believe a psychic attack connected with your head and caused you to lose a lot of your vision; there are some types of glasses that could help you see somewhat better… Your legs…" Delia drew a shaky breath but tried to be strong. "You got hit from some attacks. The doctors said it's most likely that you'll never walk again!" Now Delia was sobbing freely.

Ash just sat there in shock.

"Gramps said that you can't do a lot of things you used to anymore. Right?" Gary said, first to Ash, then to the older Oak.

"Right. Over time things will get easier, but you'll never fully recover… I'm also sorry to say you'll never be able to travel around as a Pokemon trainer-"

"WHAT! No way! I am going to be a Pokemon trainer!" Ash yelled, cutting off Prof. Oak.

Prof. Oak was momentarily delayed by shock before he spoke again in a disapproving voice, "Ash Aurora Ketchum, you are in no condition to be a-"

"I don't care!" Ash screamed out in frustration, cutting off the man again.

"Ash…" Delia whispered under her breath.

"I'm gonna be a trainer! And I am going to travel! I don't care how hard it is! I'll find a way!" Ash exlaimed. She may be young and more than a bit childish, but she was more stubborn than a Sneasel when she was determined to do something.

Prof. Oak sighed and looked at Delia. Delia stood in silence before turning to Prof. Oak with a determined look of her own. "Professor, can you renew my old trainer's license and gather my old Pokemon?"

That threw the professor for a loop. "Err, yes, but why?"

"I'm going to help Ash overcome her handicap and become a strong trainer."

"Really, Mom?" Ash asked excitedly.

"Yes, but I'm not going to go easy on you while training you, sweetie," Delia said.

"Alright!"

"Hey, Ash, when we become trainers we'll have great battles together," Gary said.

Professor Oak sighed, tired out by just watching the other people in the hospital room get pumped up. "All right, Delia, I'll get everything settled before you leave in four days."

"Leave? What does he mean by leave, Mom?" Ash asked, confused.

"During the attack yesterday, some panicked Pokemon got loose from the lab. They damaged some buildings, and our house was accidentally set on fire. The damage was bad, but we'll get it repaired in time for your to prepare for your journey. Until then we'll be going to other places for you to train."

"Oh," Ash said, sad that their house was damaged, but happy that she'd be able to start her journey in Pallet Town. "Where are we going?"

"Well, first, we'll go to Hoenn. We'll stay with my sister Sora in Verdanturf Town for a couple of months, then we'll visit an old friend of mine named Zen in Fortree City for a while. Then we'll stay in a hotel in Lilycove City for a while. After that I think we'll visit Goldenrod City in Johto before we can go to a place in Unova for a while," Delia said, giving Ash her rough outline of the travel plans.

Ash smiled. "Sounds cool!"

…Hospital, 10:45 at night…

Ash woke up feeling that someone else was in the room with her. It was strange because the doctors let her mother stay in the room next to her. She blinked and turned her head to her right and saw… a yellowish blur with a bit of white.

Hello, the blur said in an old-sounding voice. He seemed to be sad.

"Hi. Why do you sound said, Mister?" Ash said, truly sounding like the six-year-old she was.

There was a pause before he said, My pendulum… You can understand me?

"Why wouldn't I be able to understand you, Mister?"

Well, simply put, my dear, I'm a Pokemon. A Hypno to be exact.

Ash's eyes widened in shock. "How?"

I don't know, but I think it may be because of that mixture of psychic attacks that hit you. Anyway, I'll explain why I'm here. Team Rocket caught me and I've been with them for a while. My so-called trainer was a cruel person. During the attack on the lab my Pokeball broke and I used that time to escape. I heard about you from a Tangela. I felt bad and wanted to see if I could help you.

"Thanks, but I'm not sure how you can help."

Well, a psychic Pokemon like me can lift or bring objects to you or help you get around.

"Cool. *Yawn* Hey, Mr. Hypno, climb into bed and I'll talk to you in the morning; I'm too tired right now," Ash said.

Soon after that, Ash was fast asleep, curled up near the old Hypno. Delia and Prof. Oak were shocked when they learned that Ash could now understand Pokemon, but happily accepted the now nicknamed 'Mr. Hypno''s help. Ash got a pair of glasses and learned how to move around in her new wheelchair.

She liked talking to her mom's Pokemon. Two of them, a Vaporeon and a Chansey, had taken to keeping her company. Soon, they left for Hoen.

Review please!

We don't own Pokemon.