Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Pokemon—please support the official release!


CHAPTER 2

Sitting in a saddle atop Tauros, I looked around at the wonderful world of Pokemon. Since I'd "woken" up at Professor Oak's lab, I had been confined in Pallet Town. There'd been work to do. I had a months-long trek in the wilderness to prepare for after all.

Even this isn't truly wild yet, I thought as Tauros ambled down the well-worn path to Sandgem Town—Sinnoh's Pallet Town as I liked to call it in my head. Sandgem, like Pallet, was a quiet little town where Pokemon trainers in Sinnoh began their journeys. On the boat ride from Kanto, I had learned that it wasn't a coincidence that towns like Pallet and Sandgem were surrounded by young and weak Pokemon. The Pokemon League made sure trainers just beginning their journey weren't thrown into the deep end of the pool.

That didn't mean there was no danger present. In a world full of Pokemon, even the weakest could kill a human.

"AHHHH!"

As if the universe had been listening, the quiet forest outside Sandgem Town was broken by an ear-splitting scream. If I remembered correctly, Dawn was currently being attacked by Ariados after she found the Piplup that escaped from Professor Rowan's lab.

Pulling a ping-pong size Pokeball from the belt around my waist, I pressed the button in the middle. The Pokeball enlarged until it was the size of a baseball and I tossed it into the air. The Pokeball cracked open and a red beam of light shot out. When the ball fell back into my hand, I minimized it again and looked up at the bird-Pokemon circling slowly above my head.

"Swellow, find who was screaming and help them out," I said, pointing towards the forest. "We'll follow you."

Swellow took off into the air, flying above the trees. I patted Tauros on the neck and the Bison-Pokemon started forward. Slower than Swellow, but still far faster than I'd be able to move on foot.

As we ran through the forest, I heard Dawn before I saw her. "Piplup, you've got to run!" she shouted, sounding terrified.

"Swellow use Aerial Ace!" I called out, despite not being able to see my Pokemon or the Ariados. I trusted Swellow to make the right calls without me micro-managing its battle.

I had made the right call. By the time Tauros burst into the clearing where Dawn was being attacked, Swellow had already taken down half a dozen Ariados. There were still a dozen of the creepy little spider Pokemon around, and Dawn was still trapped.

"Oh my god!" Dawn screamed, her face flushing red.

The Ariados had been trying to drag her into the trees, but she had managed to grab onto a low branch and was hanging on for dear life. Gravity had taken effect, and the short skirt she wore fell down to her stomach revealing the pale blue panties she wore.

"Don't look!" Dawn shouted, trying to tug her skirt up to cover herself.

I turned away. "Sorry," I apologized, even though it wasn't really my fault. I didn't string her upside down from a tree.

"Just get me down!"

Right, save now, perv later, I thought and patted Tauros on the neck. "Hit them with Quick Attack, Swellow!" I ordered, clenching the reins of Tauros' saddle tightly.

This was my first real Pokemon battle.

"Piplup, use Bubble Beam!" Dawn shouted, her embarrassment becoming anger.

The little blue penguin Pokemon jumped into the air. Far higher than I would have expected considering its stubby little legs. Piplup opened its beak and a barrage of baseball-sized bubbles shot out towards the Ariados.

One of the bubbles hit the sticky string wrapped around Dawn's ankle and she fell to the ground.

"Ow!"

I tapped my ankle to Taruos' side urging him forward. When we were close enough to Dawn, I dismounted and tried to help her to her feet. "My ankle," she said, sagging on her right foot to keep weight off her left.

"Okay," I nodded, then I scooped her up off her feet.

It was a good thing Ash trained with his Pokemon. I wouldn't have been able to lift her up onto Tauros like I did if he hadn't. "Call Piplup back," I told her as I jumped up in the saddle behind her.

"I haven't caught him yet!"

"Just tell him to get over here!" My voice raised a little higher than I would have liked. I hated spiders and Aridaos were just giant spiders. I wanted to get the hell away from them as soon as possible.

"Piplup, over here!" Dawn called.

The little penguin-Pokemon stopped firing Bubble Beams. He jumped his way over to Dawn and she caught him in her arms. I nudged Tauros and he took off out of the forest and towards Sandgem Town. Do not get hard, do not get hard, do not get—shit!

I stared ahead over Dawn's head. It really wasn't my fault. I was a teenager and there was a beautiful girl bouncing in my lap. If you've ever ridden a horse, imagine that motion, then replace yourself with the horse and a hot blue-haired girl as the rider. That was the kind of position I was in. I'd be more worried if my body didn't react.

When we got back to Professor Rowan's lab, I knew immediately that Dawn hadn't missed my physical reaction to her riding on my lap. She was flushed, refused to make eye contact, and I even saw her glance down a few times. "Sorry about that," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck.

"It's—it's fine," Dawn shook her head, squeezing Piplup to her chest. "I have to return Piplup to Professor Rowan."

She ran into the Professor's lab. Way to make a first impression, I chided myself, sliding off Tarus' saddle. Delia might have been my first crush, but I liked Dawn more than any of the other girls Ash had traveled with. Now I was a little worried that Dawn wouldn't want to travel with me. I wanted her too. She was nice—and pretty, and I didn't want to travel alone.

I waited a few minutes—to, you know, calm down—before heading into Professor Rowan's lab.

When I got inside, Dawn was talking to the Professor. He was telling her about the Pokedex. "—Will provide you with information about the various Pokemon you're sure to encounter."

I cleared my throat as Dawn tucked the Pokedex away in her bag. Her short skirt didn't have pockets. "Excuse me, Professor Rowan," I said, grabbing the Professor's attention.

Dawn also turned my way. We locked eyes for a brief moment. An awkward brief moment that ended with the both of us looking away. She was blushing and from the heat I was feeling in my own cheeks so was I.

"Yes, what can I do for you young man?" Professor Rowan asked. He either didn't register the tension in the air, or I was in my head and there was no tension.

I decided to try and ignore the tension, real or not. "I'm Ash Ketchum," I said, introducing myself. "I'm here to register for the Sinnoh league."

"Yes, yes, of course," the Professor interrupted, recognition flashing in his eyes. "Professor Oak called days ago. All I need is your Pokedex and I'll have you registered in a few minutes."

I handed over my Pokedex. This was it. After weeks I was in the Sinnoh Region and about to be officially registered to compete in my first real Pokemon League. No more games.

"No rest between championships?" Professor Rowan asked. "Professor Oak was quite proud when he told me you were coming to compete in Sinnoh."

"Championships?" Dawn looked me up and down. "But you're the same age as me?"

At least she's talking to me, I thought, glad to know I hadn't completely ruined our non-existent relationship with my boner. While Professor Rowan when to register my Pokedex, I answered Dawn's question.

"When I was ten, I'd already set out on my first Pokemon journey. And by the time the new Pokemon Trainer Age-Laws were passed, I already had the three badges required for new underage trainers to keep traveling," I explained, while Dawn nodded along. "I was also traveling with a former gym leader, so I'm sure that helped my case."

"You're really lucky," she said. "I hadn't even left home before they changed the laws. Then every year after they just kept raising the age limit."

Before I could reply, Dawn's eyes seemed to light up and she stepped closer into my personal space.

"Professor Rowan mentioned a championship? Have you competed before?"

"Yes, ma'am," I answered proudly. "I placed 16th place in the Kanto League, won the Orange League, then went to Johto and placed 8th in that league. After that was the Hoenn League, where I placed 8th again."

"Wow!" Dawn gasped. "That's amazing!"

Professor Rowan came back with my Pokedex. He must have heard our conversation because he added his two cents. "Don't forget the Battle Frontier, Mr. Ketchum. Oak couldn't stop talking about it."

"Well, he's going to have a lot more to talk about when I win the Sinnoh League," I said as Professor Rowan handed me my Pokedex back. "I'll be sure to tell him that when I call home."

"Ah, the confidence of youth," the Professor shook his head. Then he motioned to three monitors lined up along the wall of his lab. "Feel free to use the videophones before you leave."

"Thank you, but that's alright. I told the professor I'd call when I was in Jubilife City. It's right on my way to Oreburgh."

Dawn clapped her hands. "Awesome! Can I come too?" she asked. "I want to be the number one contest coordinator, and the first contest I want to compete in is in Jubilife City!"

"That'd be great!" I agreed immediately.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Dawn gasped. She stuck out her hand. "I never introduced myself. I'm Dawn Berlitz!"

I took her offered hand and shook it gently. "Ash Ketchum," I said, then frowned. She'd been right there when I told Professor Rowan my name.

Dawn giggled but didn't say anything. I need to pay more attention to what's going on, I warned myself. If Dawn hadn't brought it up, I would have never noticed that she'd never told me her name. That would have caused problems if I had called her Dawn.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked.

"Yep!" Dawn smiled. "All set!"

I couldn't help but smile too. Dawn really was outgoing. "Then let's get going," I said, and turned to Professor Rowan. "Thank you for the help, Professor."

"Of course," Professor Rowan led Dawn and I to the front of his lab. "Good luck on your Pokemon journeys."

The automatic doors to the lab slid open. Just like in the anime, Paul was waiting for us outside the lab. He was leaning against a tree and staring right at me.


Sorry for the long wait!