This is my first story and I have never written something like this before. This is a female Ash fic. She will be starting in Hoenn and Team Rocket is not in this story. She will still receive Pikachu but he is not her starter. Also there will be a diverse team. Not all of the Pokémon that Ash catches in Hoenn will make her team. There will be romance later, not sure with who yet, but it'll happen. Could be het or not. I do not own Pokémon or anything about it. I wish I did because ash would age and not be an idiot

In the Hoenn region a fifteen year old girl named Ashley Ketchum was preparing to start her Pokémon journey. She has originally lived in Kanto, but with the death of her father at the age of seven, who was the Champion of the Kanto Pokémon League Red Ketchum, she and her mother, Delia Ketchum, moved to Hoenn to stay with her mother's family, the Stones. Her father was killed along with all but one of her father's Pokémon destroying the crime syndicate by the name of Team Rocket that was operating in both Johto and Kanto. The only Pokémon to survive the explosion that took both the lives of Team Rocket, and her father and his Pokémon was his Flareon. Flareon now acted as the family pet and protector.

Ashley Ketchum was excited, tomorrow she would start her journey to become a Pokémon Master. She was what many would call petite. She was only five feet two inches tall on a good day with a slender figure. She had long black hair and brown eyes which she inherited from her father. She had long lashes and full lips along with a button nose that had many boys at the Rustboro Trainer's School panting after her like a Poochyena in heat. She was in her room watching her uncle on the T.V. defend his title against a challenger.

"Metagross, use Meteor Mash!" shouted Champion Steven Stone.

"Dodge it now Dragonite!" shouted the challenger too late as his Pokémon was hit with the steel type move knocking it out.

"Dragonite is unable to battle, the winner of this match and still Champion, Steven stone of Rustboro City!" shouted the referee. The crowd roared in praise at the epic match.

"What a challenge", said the M.C., "he actually managed to knock out three of the Champion's Pokémon. That hasn't happened in a long time. He is going to go on and do some amazing things in the future. Well that's all for now folks! Tune in next time for another thrilling battle with our champion next time!"

Ashley was always in awe when she saw her uncle battle on TV or in person. He was always so calm and in control. Many said he matched the type of Pokémon he chose specialize in, the Steel type. Known for being meticulous and somewhat emotionless. Ashley knew her uncle wasn't like that in person and neither were his Pokémon. People only saw what he wanted them to see. They didn't see the man that would have tea parties with her when she was little and drag his Pokémon into it too. She still laughed every time she saw the picture of her and her uncle along with his strongest Pokémon Metagross, dressed up with sun hats and make-up on to make her happy a few months after her father died.

"Ashley" called her mother Delia up the stairs to her daughter.

"Yeah mom?" called Ashley.

"Are you packed and ready for your Pokémon journey yet?"

Ashley looked around her room to see if she had everything she would need for her trip. She groaned as she realized while everything that she needed was neatly organized ready to be packed, she realized she didn't know where her travel pack was to put it in.

"You don't know where your pack is do you?"

Ashley responded with, "I knew where it was, just not where it has gone to now. I knew I should have tied a bell onto that thing"

Her mother walked up the stairs and into her room with the missing pack. She said, "You do realize I'm going to be lonely with you being on the road for so long right?" Her blue eyes shiny with unshed tears. Besides hair and eye color they could pass for sisters with her mother being only two inches taller than her.

Ashley got up from her bed and hugged her mom and said softly, "it's going to be okay mom. You have Uncle Steven and Grandpa to keep you company. Besides, it's not like Flareon goes anywhere without you."

She sniffled and said. "I know sweetie. It's just that you remind me so much of your father. He was so excited to start his Pokémon journey too. He couldn't wait and ended up oversleeping and ended up being late to pick up his first Pokémon. Your father said he almost started to cry in Professor Oak's lab when he found out he would have to wait a year to start because Professor Oak didn't have any Pokémon left to give him. When the professor saw this, he told him he had a Pokémon, it just hadn't had any training yet. Your father didn't care he would take it."

"And that's when dad met Pikachu," finished Ashley. She had heard this story from both her mom and dad. Her dad also mentioned the strained relationship he had with Pikachu when he started, and by strained he meant the constant electrical abuse his starter unleased on him to show his displeasure at being "his" Pokémon. That all changed after their encounter with a flock of Spearow.

"Your father never had anything negative to say about any Pokémon he met, even the ones that tried to kill him. When I met your father after he lost to your uncle in the Ever Grande Conference finals, he was happy he made it that far. He didn't let losing stop his dreams of being the best. He met me as I was congratulating your uncle. He would later say it was love at first sight, but I saw a handsome man who happy with his place in the world."

"Didn't you say that he asked you out at the Pokémon Center afterwards and almost passed out because he was so nervous?"

"I believe that is what I said didn't I? Well later he said he won something better than a championship that day. I knew that as well. Your uncle however, couldn't believe that there was something more important than Pokémon battles."

"He still doesn't think there is anything more important than Pokémon battles" sniggered Ashley.

"Pack your stuff young lady, we have an early morning ahead of us. We have to drive to Littleroot Town in the morning to get you a Pokémon now don't we?" She started to walk out of the room when she stopped turned around and said, "Your father would be so proud of you right now, he always said you would be better than him and take his title someday. Go and do that, be the best you can and know me and your father will always be proud." She stated as she closed the door.

Ashley packed all her things and wished that her father could be there with her tomorrow as she started her own journey, but knew in her heart that he was watching down on her and knew she would do him proud.