A/N: On a whim, I decided to make a fanfic about Ash getting Heliopetile as his starter. I haven't watched the anime in years, but I found myself enjoying the situations and characters after rewatching it for inspiration. I hope to have a season 1 Ash with his core characteristics so he's not Ash-in-name-only. That being said, it's not solely based on the anime, nor the games. It's a mix of the two, plus some other ideas.

I want to update this every day at most, and every week at least. I want to gain more confidence in my writing abilities, and the only way to do that is to write more.

Ash watched the TV in his vibrant green and yellow PJs. It was the semi-finals of the World Championship and he was starstruck as both contestants brought out their final Pokémon. The stoic and cool Lance brought his powerhouse of a Pokémon, Dragonite. While the calm and wise Diantha brought out her most graceful Pokémon, Gardevoir. Both trainers carefully watched each other as their Pokémon waited for their commands. In a quick thrust of his arm, it was Lance who went first. The first move would be Iron Tail. The giant Dragon's tail glittered silver as it swung it with tremendous force.

Ash gasped as the Gardevoir easily dodged it and retaliated with a dazzling pink orb that it had conjured up from between its palms. Ash followed the battle nervously. Diantha hadn't Mega Evolved yet. Usually, Diantha would start the battle with a Mega Evolution but, this time, she seemed to be holding back her full strength.

As he continued to observe, it suddenly dawned on Ash why. She was battling a Dragon-type who could easily maneuver around her Pokémon. With the big "dress" that Gardevoir gained by Mega Evolving, sure, she could catch more air and tango in the sky with Dragonite, but Gardevoir would lose some mobility. Lance could take advantage of it and adapt to a close-range fighting style with weaker, quicker attacks.

Ash's eyes grew wide as Diantha ordered her Gardevoir to use Thunderbolt instead of Moonblast. The lightning that she generated was going in all sorts of directions, forcing Dragonite upwards. It twisted its giant body through the web of lightning, keeping an eye as it avoided each hit.

As Dragonite finally soared over Gardevoir, it let out a vicious stream of raging fire. Ash tightly gripped his pantlegs as Gardevoir recovered and made a daring leap. His heart was pounding as she parried Dragonite's Iron Tail with her own Thunderbolt-covered arms, forcing them both away from each other.

Each move Lance called out, Diantha had the perfect counter to it. It was as if it was a ritualized dance that they had come up with. Admiring both their Pokémon, Ash couldn't help but wonder what Pokémon he was going to get. He had already told Gary he wanted Squirtle, but a Blastoise couldn't match this awesome battle. Perhaps Charizard? It could easily soar around, and Leon always used his Charizard so perfectly. Bulbasaur was also good, but like Blastoise, it was more defensive. The problem with Bulbasaur was that it was also a stationary fighter. In order to use Bulbasaur to the fullest extent, one had to be creative in battle. So, maybe Charizard was the best for high-action battles.

Although, Squirtle could follow both with high-powered Water attacks. Yeah, it could easily knock a Flying-type out of the sky! Ash mused as he leaned in close to the TV. The Champions' Pokémon were beginning to look worn out, and that usually meant that the next blow would decide it. Ash's whole body shook as Diantha and Lance called out their last moves: Moonblast and Extreme Speed!

As Dragonite shot forward, Gardivore drew back and raised her thin arms. Creating a giant pink orb, the size of a house, she placed herself in it. As Dragonite tucked its wings in to charge into the bubble at full force, the TV switched to black. Ash yelled and fell forward with surprise. All the tension in his body was released as he stared at the dark screen. Huffing in annoyance, Ash sat up and whipped his head around

"Mom!" Ash yelled as he turned his head to see his brown-haired mom standing in his doorway, remote in hand.

"It's 11 o'clock, Ash. Didn't you say you needed to be to Oak's by 10?" Delia reminded, her face furrowed with worry. Ash eagerly nodded.

"Yeah, but I can't sleep mom! You know the World Championship is something I always watch!" Ash babbled, his big brown eyes sparkling as he clasped his hands together. "Come on, mom! Did you see the way that Dragonite almost attacked Diantha's Gardevoir? I bet Lance would have won! His Dragonite was going super duper fast!"

Delia shrugged but gave a small smile. "Diantha might have won, you know. After all, she was using a Fairy type. The last time I checked, Fairy was stronger than Dragon. Besides, would it kill you to root for the Champion of your home region?"

Ash blinked, completely ignoring the last thing his mom said. "Is it? Well, whatever. I'm sure that Dragonite would overcome that weakness! It's all about technique, right? A better trained Pokémon can beat any type that dares stand in its way!"

"That is true. I guess it's like humans. Some are naturally weak in some areas, but with enough training and effort, they can overcome anything. Well, you'll be able to put that theory to the test tomorrow. Here, watch this and go to sleep," Delia said as she turned back on the TV and changed the channel to an educational one. Once she was certain Ash wasn't going to change the channel, she left the room and closed the door.

Ash yawned and crawled into his bed as the TV played. Curling up under his light green blanket, Ash passively listened to the TV. Ash had already watched it

"A Pokémon Trainer obtains their license at the age of 10 and can go traveling all across the world. It's a perilous journey, but the rewards are worth it. When they first start, a Pokémon Trainer can go to a nearby Pokémon Center or Professor to receive their first Pokémon. The most common Pokémon that are given out are: Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. Of course, that's only for Kanto. For Johto, their choices are usually between: Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Chikorita. And some get unusual Pokémon when there are no other regular starters. Why Lance's first Pokémon was a Dratini that was rehabilitated by his local Pokémon Center.

"To be a good Pokémon Trainer, one must listen to their Pokémon. Some Pokémon don't want to evolve, and a common misconception is that evolution is better. It is not. Each Pokémon is an individual and should be treated as such. Alder once trained a Rufflet to outmaneuver most opponents due to its small size, and it was able to take down even one of Lance's mighty Dragonite. When Lt. Surge's Pikachu first evolved from a Pichu, Lt. Surge evolved it again straight away. His Raichu became even more powerful, but Raichu never learned to handle its electricity to its fullest potential. A telltale sign it wasn't ready to evolve. Most Electric types can learn how to control their attacks with pinpoint accuracy, but Raichu never did. The world of a trainer is vast and…"

As the words faded into the background, Ash fell asleep, dreaming of when he would become a Pokémon Trainer.

"Go Squirtle... Get them. Bulbasaur, use your Vine Whip... Charmander hit them with a Flamethrower..." Ash mutter happily. "Yeah, we win! We beat Lance! We're the Champions of Kanto..."

XOXOXOXOXOX

A golden hue washed over Ash's face as he slowly began to wake up. The TV was still on and a documentary on Legendary Pokémon was playing.

Ash glanced at the TV and saw a beautiful illustration of Moltres. The deep sunset orange of its feathers contrasted against its startling crimson flames. The melting orange and red of his flames made Ash feel a sense of awe. He imagined having a death-defying battle on top of a clifftop. Ash cheered loudly in his dream, but suddenly realized what day it was.

"Ah, I'm supposed to get my Pokémon today!" Ash sputtered as he catapulted himself out of bed.

Glancing at the clock, he noticed it was 8:40. Gary had told him that Oak was giving out Pokémon starting at 10 o'clock, but that didn't mean that he couldn't get ready early. After all, he needed to eat.

As he began to scurry around his room to change, Ash caught the sound of Gary talking to his mom downstairs. Peering outside his window, Ash spotted Gary was leaning on his fence. Gary bragging about how he was going to be a Pokémon Master, as per usual.

"Yeah, and Ashy-boy can't even compete. I bet he's still sleeping even though we have to get there in twenty minutes," Gary mocked. Ash's mom looked up, and Ash's blood began to boil as he gritted his teeth. Ash could feel his face turn red as he clutched onto his window seal.

That little cheat! He definitely said 10 o'clock, not nine! Ash was furious now, and his anger threatened to spill into angry shouts. Of course, Gary would just mock him for that, so he kept quiet.

"Ash said it was at 10, and that you said that. Gary, did you lie?" Delia inquired as she stopped sweeping the front yard. Gary guiltily scratched his cheek and turned his face away.

"Uhh… I might have been mistaken with that. You know how kids are. They easily make mistakes," Gary murmured shyly. Ash grunted in irritation and tore his attention away from the scene. He knew that Gary had lied, and Ash knew why. It was because Gary also wanted Squirtle! While Ash always had all three starters on the table as options, he was always drawn towards Squirtle, as was Gary. Gary wasn't dumb. So, he used that precious information against Ash to get a head start!

What stung was that if Ash had the opportunity to do the same, he might have contemplated lying. However, Ash was almost positive that he wouldn't! Even the mere thought that he might have lied as Gary did gave Ash pause.

In Ash's mind, only bad people, and Gary, lied to get ahead. His mother had taught him that lying, stealing, and cheating were not ways to get ahead.

So, Ash lived his life trying to avoid doing those things.

When Ash finished changing, he straightened up his white and red cap. He wore his signature outfit: a blue and white jacket, black shirt, a pair of jeans, and blue and white sneakers. Checking to make sure he had everything, Ash picked up his green backpack and exited his room running. He ran down the hallway leading away from his room and down the stairs. As reached the bottom, Delia backed away and narrowly avoided missing him.

"Be careful, sweetie!" Delia shouted.

"I will!" Ash called back, exiting the door and running out of his yard.

Ash was thankful that she didn't stop him for another one of her famous lectures. He was already late as it was. Ash kept to the familiar road that led to Professor Oak's lab.

Even though he was born in Kalos, he grew up in Pallet Town. As he raced by, various people from around town would cheer him on. The lady he helped carry groceries for sometimes waved at him. An old couple that he used Pokésit for yelled words of encouragement. And three young kids who he used to play with ran behind him and told him how good of a Pokémon Trainer he'll be.

A sense of pride filled Ash's heart. This was where he belonged. Pallet Town was his home, and there was nothing that was going to change that. As he came close to the lab's large, black metal fence, Ash slowed down to a stop. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he was beginning to pant. The run had made him fatigued, but his excitement for a new Pokémon kept him going.

As he prepared himself to walk up the hill, he saw a red-headed by coming down the stairs. Looking at his hand, Ash noticed the thing he coveted most. A Poké Ball was being gripped tightly in his left hand.

When he stopped in front of Ash, he stared past him to the children behind him. His red eyes were glowing with contempt, but not for Ash. He hardly even seemed to register Ash was there.

"What are you three doing here? Don't you have homes to get to?" the boy asked as he shoved his Poké Ball into his fur-lined pocket his black coat. Ash wondered which starter it was, but he was too intimidated to ask. The way the boy scowled told Ash he wasn't in the mood to chat.

The oldest boy spoke as he casually pouted.

"Ah, that's no fair, Silver. Our parents said we could come to Pallet Town today, and we wanted to see our friend off. Ash is a cool person, unlike you. You would see that if you weren't such a brat," the kid taunted. Silver glared at him but did nothing else. "Just cause your dad is Giovani doesn't mean you have to act all high and mighty."

Silver sucked in his breath. "You're not supposed to mouth off to me, you know. When you're older, I expect you three to show me some respect and not trail after some stray Caterpie who just crawled out from its egg."

Ash's eyebrow twitched as he glared at the boy. "Excuse me? I don't care who your dad is. No one calls me a Caterpie."

"I'm sorry," Silver deadpanned. "I should say Venonat. You look about as useful as one of those jumping bags of fur. Besides, you're not becoming a Pokémon Trainer today. I just got the last Pokémon from the lab."

Anger coursed through him, but he knew it wasn't a good idea to pick a fight right outside the lab. But, beneath the seething anger was sorrow. If what the boy said was true, he wouldn't get a Pokémon until next week.

Balling ups his fists, Ash gritted his teeth and glared at the boy. Silver snorted in condescension and looked away from him purposefully.

"No comeback I see. Whatever, I don't have to deal with you," Silver said snidely as he left Ash standing there. Raising his fist to his face, Ash hissed under his breath.

"One day I'm going to show you!"

"That's Silver," the boy from before said. Turning his head, he let out a soft sigh. "He thinks he runs Kanto. He said his ultimate goal is to beat Lysander's kid, but he has no idea who he is. If you ask me, he's pretty lame."

"Lysander?" Ash folded his arms in confusion. "You mean that Holo Caster guy. Why would his son be in Kanto?"

This time, the only girl from the group answered.

"Oh, the mother took the son there. No one knows why, but our parents think it's because Team Rocket has been trying to extort money out of him. Due to that, the identity of the son and mother is a close kept secret. The most prominent person who knows where his son is Lysander's professor, Professor Sycamore."

"I see," Ash said. "Well, I know my dad is working at Lumiose City currently, so I hope to meet Lysander's kid someday. I heard he was a great man, and his child must be someone who takes after his dad's ideals."

The last kid nodded excitedly.

"You bet. Our parents think his kid will be extremely powerful. My mom is rooting for him since he should be starting his adventure soon. Maybe six or seven months from now."

Waving goodbye to the children, Ash made his way up the hill. Anxiety ate at him with each step he took. He didn't know if he was going to get a Pokémon, but he was ready for whatever answer Oak gave him. Ash hoped with all his heart to get a Pokémon, but he was uncertain if Professor Oak would have one.

The beige lab with the cylindrical roof seemed further away even as he got closer.

As he reached the lab, Ash gently opened the door. The fresh scent of lavender filled the air and artificial light flooded his sight. Entering the room, Ash quickly spotted Gary holding his new Squirtle, and some kid that Ash had never seen before. By the boy's foot was a Pikachu who seemed to have a rotten attitude as he scowled at everyone. Ash couldn't help but smile at how adorable he was. Even though he was grumpy, he was rather cute.

"Oh, Ash, I see you finally arrived… fifteen minutes late. But I assume you're here to pick your Pokémon?" Professor Oak asked, his deep brown eyes gentle even as he teased him.

"Yes, please, sir! I really want a Pokémon! I know that the starters are all gone, but you got to have a Pokémon for me! Please! I don't care what it is! A Pidgey! Rattata! I'll take anything at this point, Professor Oak!" Ash begged. "I was late, yes, but I'll work hard to do my best!"

Professor Oak chuckled.

"Yes, but that was my darling grandson's fault. If he kept better notes on what I said and double-checked things, this might not have happened. But Richie here just got the last Pokémon I had to give away. Although, you're in luck. I just so happened to have a Pokémon from the Kalos region that your dad sent over so I could study it. Since I'm finished researching it, I think I can give it to you," Professor Oak said joyfully as he pulled out a red and white ball with a sun icon on it.

Ash stared at it in awe, his brown eye glistening. Inside was probably his starter! And from his father no less! Professor Oak handed him the ball, and Ash's eyes were beginning to fill with tears. What could be inside of it? Ash heard Gary scoff, but he didn't care. Clicking the ball's center, the red portion popped open, and a bright red light shot out of the container. A small yellow creature with a black head top, neckties for ears, black claws, and a black tail tip popped out.

"Helio?" it chimed, tilting its head.

"Oh, wow, a Helioptile! My mom showed me pictures of my dad owning one!" Ash exclaimed. As he bent down to get a closer look at it, he heard Gary scoff.

"Oh, come on. Ashy-boy can barely get out of bed in the morning. Should he really be given a rare Pokémon like that?" Gary said in a flippant tone. Helioptile turned its head and looked up at Gary in surprise. Seeing this, Gary began to brag. "Yeah, if you want to become an actual good Pokémon, you should journey with the actual Pokémon Master! I'll show everyone how good you really are. Champions and celebrities will bow before my power when they see how good we are."

Ash ignored Gary. He was just trying to get under his skin. Smiling at the little Pokémon, he watched it turn its head back to him.

"Hi, Helioptile, my name is Ash and I'm going to become a Pokémon Master. I would love it if you could come with me on my journey," Ash offered calmly. Helioptile glanced between Ash and Gary, its eyes narrowed in skepticism. After a few minutes of studying the boys, it twitched its tail and gave a few trills and chirps.

"I think it says it wants to battle," the boy from earlier chimed in, startling Ash. "Whoever wins keeps it."

"But… I don't have a Pokémon yet," Ash reminded Helioptile. Helioptile puffed out its chest and pointed to itself. "You'll battle for me?"

The little Pokémon nodded proudly.

"Cool. Don't cry when I beat you," Gary sneered playfully. His Squirtle chattered quietly to itself and nodded. Its eyes were lasered focus on Helioptile and it seemed to have a confident smirk on its face. Even though it was a Water-type, it seemed confident in its abilities.

"I won't," Ash declared as he stood up. "I swear to all the Pokémon of the world that I will become a Pokémon Master! And I will make sure all my Pokémon become strong in their own way! Now, let's get to–"

"Hold it!" Professor Oak shouted, interrupting Ash from running off. "I still have some more things to give you. Here, you all need your Pokédex and Poké Balls."

Professor Oak handed Ash a red rectangular device with three lights at the top and five small spheres that were identical to the device that Helioptile came in. He did the same for Richie and Gary.

Gary pointed his Pokédex at Helioptile, and it read off the relevant information that he asked for.

Helioptile, the Generator Pokémon. They make their home in deserts. They can generate their energy from basking in the sun, so eating food is not a requirement. The sun powers this Pokémon's electricity generation. Interruption of that process stresses Helioptile to the point of weakness. This Pokémon evolves into Heliolisk. This Helioptile is male and its ability is Solar Power, which boosts the power of moves during Harsh Sunlight. It knows the moves Mud-Slap, Tail Whip, Pound, Dragon Rush, Glare, Camouflage, Dragon Tail, Electric Terrain, Scale Shot, and Rising Voltage. Its recommended move set is Mud-Slap, Pound, Tail Whip, and Glare. This Helioptile has no trainer yet.

"Hm, you're a strong Pokémon. No doubt, if you join me, I will make you world-renowned. You'll have all sort of Pokémon falling over you. But of course, you want to see my battle prowess. But that's almost not fair. I'm a prodigy and Ashy-boy isn't," Gary jeered snidely as exited the lab laughing.

"That Gary, I'll show him," Ash growled. He felt a presence next to him and noticed that Richie was right beside him. His face was sour, almost as if he had as much of a distaste for Gary as he did.

"He's very arrogant, huh? Well, let's see what his skills are like on the battlefield," Richie snorted, his Pikachu padding after him. The Electric Pokémon didn't seem to be following. More so, he seemed like he was excited to watch a battle.

"You know, you could just decline Ash. My grandson shouldn't get two Pokémon just because he thinks he should. Besides, my grandson isn't going to make it to the top with that attitude," Professor Oak pointed out.

"I know Professor. But I need to prove to Gary that I can be just as good as him. If I beat him here, he won't dare tease me again. Besides, it's Helioptile who wants this. If I decline now, I wouldn't be taking his feelings into account," Ash confessed. "I would be training a resentful Pokémon who felt it needed to come with me."

Professor Oak let out a long sigh. "Whatever you say, my boy. Just, don't get too caught up in the outcome. There are plenty of starter Pokémon."

Helioptile gazed up at Professor Oak and Ash. His calm blue eyes were as clear as the ocean on a calm day. But Ash could see the tip of its tail twitched. The comment had filled him with anger, but he refused to let it show.

In his mind, he wasn't just any starter. He was the starter Pokémon. Anyone with it would be granted 1,000 victories. That arrogance and strength were what Ash craved. He wanted a Pokémon who believed in itself. And he believed that he and Helioptile would be good partners.

Giving a small smile, Ash led Helioptile and Professor Oak to the battle arena. Taking his position on the opposite side of Gary, Helioptile went to stand beside Ash, giving a low, battle-ready growl.

"Squirtle, show them what you're made of girl!" Gary ordered. Nodding, Squirtle skipped onto the battlefield, bowing as she reached the center. Ash suppressed an amused chuckle. The differences between these two were like night and day. One was an egotistical jerk, and the other was a sweetheart.

"Helioptile, you're up!" Ash shouted enthusiastically, punching at the air. Helioptile hopped onto the center of the battlefield, a fierce look on his face as he stared at his opponent.

"Okay, this is a one-on-one match. This first Pokémon to be knocked out loses. You may now begin," Professor Oak shouted.

"Squirtle, Water Gun!" Gary yelled. Squirtle crouched down on all fours and opened her mouth wide. A blast of water shot out of her mouth and barreled straight towards Helioptile.

"Dodge, and counter with Pound!" Ash ordered. He wanted to use Rising Voltage, but he had no idea how volatile that would be. Considering that Helioptile probably didn't practice with it at all, he couldn't risk it. One wrong move could lose Ash the battle.

Helioptile hopped out of the way and charged forward. Turning on a dime, the Electric Pokémon whipped his body around so that his tail would smack Squirtle.

"Quick! Grab it by the tail and toss it! Then hit it with a Water Gun"

Squirtle braced herself and as Helioptile swung his tail into the Squirtle's shell, she narrowed her eyes and grabbed it. With all her might, Squirtle threw the Helioptile into the sky and let loose a quick, weak Water Gun. She hit Helioptile directly and knocked him to the ground. Gary gave Ash a smug look as Helioptile hopped back onto his paws and charged forward.

"Helioptile, Mud-Slap!" Ash ordered. If close-range attacks wouldn't work, maybe far ranged attacks would? Ash was clueless about how an actual battle would play out. He imagined it would be just using the strongest move and win. But no. This was a 3D battlefield, and with that came the struggles of watching an opponent and their moves before counterattacking.

But he knew he couldn't falter. Not with his new Pokémon on the line. He had to win if he truly wanted to follow his dreams!

Helioptile opened its mouth and shot a stream of dark brown liquid ooze from his mouth. The sludge hit Squirtle directly in her face and she squealed in surprise and started frantically rubbing her face. Taking this moment as a win, Helioptile knocked into the Squirtle, sending her onto her back. Ash knew he needed to end this now. The longer this went on, the more likely it was for Gary to win!

"Finish this, Helioptile! Rising Voltage!" Ash ordered. Taking a deep breath, Helioptile expanded its ears and lit up its whole body with electricity. The ground surged with it as well, and Squirtle seemed to sense something was off. Even as the ground began to swell with rising electricity, Gary had a calm smile on his face.

"Squirtle, Mirror Coat," Gary said plainly. A multicolored sheen surrounded Squirtle, and she relaxed as the electricity finally surrounded her. Gritting her teeth and claws, Squirtle took the attack. Dazzling electricity flowed through her body, but Ash saw it building up within the sheen as it turned into a pale yellow.

"Helioptile, get out of the way!" Ash yelled. Whipping its head around to him, Helioptile stopped charging the ground, and Squirtle took this opportunity. With a sharp cry, it released a blinding yellow light that covered the whole field and only stopped just inches away from Ash's face. An acrid scent now filled the air as Ash watched in horror. What had just happened?

As the light died down, Ash saw Helioptile crumpled onto the floor with Squirtle standing over him. Her breath was ragged, but that didn't matter. She was still standing, and Ash had lost in a stunning display.

"Pika…" Pikachu gasped, seemingly surprised at the sudden turn of events.

Ash felt as if the ground was going to collapse beneath his feet. He had lost the shot of having a good partner because he had been impatient. If he had gotten one more hit off, that attack would have knocked it out.

Helioptile picked up his head and sat on his haunches, seemingly pained by the outcome of the battle. Without looking back, Helioptile walked over to Gary's side. Squirtle shot Ash a sympathetic look before scurrying over to her trainer.

"Yeah, I knew Ash couldn't hold a candle to me! I win, which means I got Helioptile!" Gary cheered. Ash felt too distraught to rebuke Gary. This was one of the few times Gary had managed to best him. And to think, this time it mattered. Hanging his head in defeat, Ash made every attempt to not be a sore loser. Helioptile had decided and there was nothing he could say or do to change its mind.

"Good battle, Gary. I guess the better trainer won this time," Ash said, trying to smile through the pain and shock. Helioptile glanced at Ash, his eyes narrowed as he looked at him. His expression was unreadable, but Ash was pretty sure it hated him. Maybe their partnership was never meant to be. Walking across the battlefield, he held his hand out to Gary.

For a moment, Gary looked down at it, seemingly unsure of what to do. But it only lasted for a moment before Gary reached out and shook his hand.

"That was a good battle. I look forward to beating you again when you get your actual starter," Gary proclaimed, stinging Ash's heart again. Even when he cut his attitude, his words still stung. Breaking off the handshake, Ash began to trudge himself home, but the boy from earlier ran in front of him.

"That honestly was a good battle. It was super close! I know it doesn't help, but if you would entertain an outsider's perspective, I think you would have won with one more attack before the Rising Voltage!" Richie offered.

Ash absentmindedly nodded. Richie's Pikachu glanced up at him, a curious look replacing the ill-temper glare he had given Ash before. Ash didn't know what it was thinking, but Pikachu seemed to have grown attached to him after the battle. Maybe he liked how Ash battled?

"Hey, if you want, I can wait for you to get your Pokémon. I think Pikachu and I need to bond some more before we go on any adventure," Richie said as he bent down to pet the Electric Mouse. Pikachu began sparking his cheeks and gave Richie a death glare. Letting out a small laugh, Richie pulled away. "See? He hates me right now."

Perking up a little, Ash gave a toothy grin. The prospect of helping someone else take care of a Pokémon brightened his day. He wouldn't have to wait a week to see what being a trainer was like!

"I would like that. I don't know who my starter will be, but I'll graciously accept any Pokémon. In the meantime, I'll try to bond with Pikachu to prepare for my own Pokémon," Ash declared as he tried to pet Pikachu. With a mischievous smile, Pikachu let loose a powerful electric attack, shock both boys and sending searing pain throughout Ash's whole body.

This might be more difficult than I thought… Ash bemoaned to himself.

I hope you enjoyed chapter 1 and I hope chapter 2 will come soon!