This is my first pokemon story and If anyone is worried about my other stories like Stitches or Mess of black threads they actually are fully written out. I just have to fine tune them and make some adjustments. As for this story I'll set some ground rules first, the age to get your training license is 16. You can get pokemon before that but you will not be certified to travel alone until that age. Second, this is a semi-realistic pokemon, I would compare it to Traveler in the department. I actually have a few homages to the greatest pokemon fanfic. I'll explain the plan for the upcoming chapters at the end. I hope you enjoy it.
Chaos
Could you remember before you were born? An easy answer for most creatures but for certain anomalies the answer was yes. Ghosts were made from the chaos of the world around them, their being, their power was chaos itself. They mutilate the psychic laws they are born in and they remember where their being was from. A different realm shrouded in darkness and where distortion runs wild, so corrosive it even erodes its own realm. It burns a whole strait into the world of natural laws and as soon as the portal is opened it is closed. The chaos trapped in this unnatural world, at least unnatural to the fragment of course. Separated from its proginater the new fragment becomes something, something sentient. Alive. In a new world so much is unknown to the child of chaos. It hid itself in the familiar darkness away from whatever made everything so bright.
Confused, scared and sad at it being separated from what it was. Weaker than what it was before. It hid in the shadow of whatever this thing was. Then the fragment saw its surroundings move, it sunk deeper into the shadow. A creature popped out taller than it but something intrigued chaos. The thing in front of it had a blue glow around it, almost bright enough to want to hide against it but something deep in itself craved for it. This was its fuel, this would make it stronger. It floated out of its shadow but was still ready to pounce. They locked eyes for a moment and then the creature bared its white mouth and started making noise. Chaos couldn't understand what it said but could understand the emotion behind it. Happiness. Joy. Excitement. These made the creature feel something different, it wasn't scared anymore, just confused.
The creature exuded an emotion of unsureness as it slowly reached its limb to touch its ethereal body. It did not feel any malice from the creature so it allowed for the contact to occur. The fragment felt it, knowledge flowed in for a brief moment, it learned from the touch. The fragment opened its eyes and looked at the blue around the boy again. It seemed to dim but it could tell it was slowly returning to its former state. Then the fragment was greedy for more, enveloping the boy with its distortional energy, feasting on whatever the boy exuded. Yet as it consumed, his greed diminished. He calmed as the energy releasing from the boy tamed its greed and lust for power. The child was a little afraid, chaos knew what to call it now. He, that was his gender, the ghost decided. Learning so much was almost overwhelming, wanting him to devour the boy for everything it was worth but rejected the idea. He was indebted to the boy, the raven haired child gave him life, knowledge, power and something more. Chaos was his nature but the boy calmed him, made him into something more than the other worldly power. He would protect the boy for what he did for him. Then he was full, his power was brimming, overflowing with distortion and he began to evolve. Changing his form and becoming expolnetnilaly more powerful. Darkness swirled around it, growing and growing till the whole clearing was nothing but a black cloud. All of the darkness was sucked into itself. Creating what the humans called 'Hanuter', a pokemon.
The boy started speaking again but now Haunter knew what Ash, he gathered his name, was saying. This was the beginning of a road that would carve valleys, tame seas and raise mountains.
A few minutes before the encounter
Our raven haired protagonist was wandering in the woods following an Oddish he saw while walking along a dusty road in his hometown with his classmates. The foliage isn't thick enough to obscure his view but it made it quite tricky to track the young grass type. After a few minutes he actually lost it and was now painfully aware how alone he was. His mother and the professor were adamant about how dangerous the outside world was, especially for someone without a pokemon. He decided it was time to head back, the sun cast long shadows that draped the ground. The child had a rough idea on how to get back but he knew it would take far too long to get back. He was in for an earful from his mother. Turning around about to leave he saw it, a flash of slanted eyes hiding in a shadow.
A part of Ash thought to run away as fast he could, that was a wild pokemon. Untempered by man, all of the savageness born into it to survive is still present to the world. Then there was little part of him that told him to stay, this was the rare chance to gain a pokemon this young. Nobody this young dared to attempt to talk to a wild pokemon. Even pokemon born by tamed ones needed to be reared in by trainers before they were ready for a new trainer. Ash had a chance to start his journey sooner than anyone else. He would not let this chance slip away.
He stepped forwards toward the hidden figure and his voice rang out amongst the painfully quiet forest. Even the surrounding pokemon wouldn't interfere with this.
"Hi my name is Ash! How are you?"Ash said cheerfully. Pokemon were very sensitive to the emotions that people gave off. The main goal for himself was to stay calm, don't be overwhelmed by the ghost's presence. He knew what type the pokemon was, a ghost. Only them and dark types could hide in shadows like this. While Kanto itself had very few native dark types ever since the Honen invasion years ago you could find an odd Mightyena. Maybe a shrifity if you were deep enough in the forest and there is the legend of a wild Tyranitar nesting in Mount. Silver. He was getting off track, there was a real life GHOST in front of him.
"Do you wanna be my friend?" Ash knew he was pushing his luck but this was the chance of a lifetime so he took it. He slowly stuck his hand into the shadow and he saw the ghost widen its eyes ever so slightly and reach a tendril out of its gaseous body. They connected for a second, Ash understood what it was. Pure chaos, distortion that ate at the world around it. That was the impression he got. Then suddenly the ghost shot out of the shadow and started swirling around him. Slowly he felt more and more tired but then before he knew it the ghost stopped. The clearing was enveloped with a bright light that blinded him for just a moment. A few seconds passed, the light died down and Ash got a good look at the pokemon in front of him. It was a Haunter, it stuck his tongue out at him. Ash started laughing, weariness leaving his body slightly at the sight in front of him.
"You're funny! What's your name?" Everyone had a name, his mom's Mr. Mime liked to be called Steven. Professor Oak's dragonite liked to be called Comet, kinda boyish name for a girl if anyone asked Ash. The Haunter shook his head, a deep frown covered his face. Upset at his lack of a name.
"I'll give you one. Since we're friends now!" Ash all but shouted, Haunter agreed quickly liking the idea.
"Hmm, Haze?" His new friend hid in a shadow, showing his dislike for the name.
"Shadow?" Again a no.
"Scarlet?" Maybe the ghost in front of him was a girl. He was wrong again.
"Pete?" This gained a very confused Haunter but same as the others. Ash shrugged his shoulders, it was worth a try. This process went on for a few minutes until Ash hit the jackpot.
"I got it! How bout' Haunt?" This brought an immense smile from Haunter, now known as Haunt. The ghost passed through Ash to lick his back. Sending a shiver down his spine but a hardy laugh erupted from the child. Then the duo heard a piercing roar and the world shook. An absolutely massive Dragonite landed in front of them. An older man in a white lab cloak and red shirt hopped off the back of the awe inspiring creature. The man had an edge in eyes, a hidden fire burning within his brown eyes but as soon as the man saw Ash it was gone. The fire extinguished, the fearsome edge lost and stowed away for the next time the need arises.
"Ash! We were worried after you strayed away from the group. You know how dangerous it can be without any pokemon!" A stern tone enforced the older man's seriousness. For a second he saw Ash understand but a small smile broke across the child's face. He thought his message didn't get through so he was about to become even more stern but before he could say anything the raven haired child laughed.
"S-Stop it Haunt! We are in trouble. Professor Oak is serious!" Ash managed to choke out between gasps of air. Apparently something was seriously funny, then the Oak turned around and saw the sight of the child's amusement. A ghost was making silly faces behind him the whole time. He thought about it again. A ghost pokemon was not only behind him but actually not trying to harm him. One of the most rare and terrifying types of pokemon was just befriended by an eight year old. Ghosts were known to devour the life force of unprepared trainers and pokemon to grow their strength, yet here one was playing with a child!
"Ash, it's time to come home now. Your mother is very worried for you and you do understand how dangerous it is to go out on your own like this?" As he eyed the ghost carefully. Ash nodded solemnly while Haunt hid in the child's shadow. The wizened professor made a motion to follow him as the two walked.
"Pallet isn't too far, we will walk back. I feel since you have a pokemon of your own this lesson is important for you to learn." Ash was wide eyed, Professor Oak acknowledged that he had a pokemon. The raven haired child hung off of every word the man said. The dragonite took off as they started walking, soaring above them so she could keep an eye on them.
"I study the relationship between humans and pokemon. In my thirty years I have learned pokemon have effects on their human partners just as humans have an effect on them. There is a reason why there are so many type masters in the world. We as people are very perceptive, even if we don't know it. People have picked up tendencies from the pokemon they are around, such little details they don't even know. The way they talk, give food to their pokemon, and a whole slew of other minute details that add up to something impactful. It almost makes us have a type of our own depending on where we grew up and what pokemon we are around. This has its advantages as well as disadvantages just like typing does. You will naturally get along with your affiliated type allowing easier partnership but it makes it harder for you to bond with pokemon other than that type. Not saying you can't but there will be a difficulty there." He stopped his speech for a moment to allow the boy to process this information. Oak did not expect the eight year old to figure out how this was affecting him but he would tell him.
"This is important to you. Very few trainers have a pokemon this young in their life and all those factors might come into play since you have bonded with a ghost. I'm personally unsure what affects this will have but I have a friend that is very well acquainted with ghosts. She will help us." Ash looked crestfallen and his shadow seemed to emulate it. It looked more sluggish and less defined. The older man let a small smirk adorn his face, he could rectify this situation.
"This also has huge upside, the few trainers that have had pokemon have become legends in their time. The Aura Knights of Sinnoh trained with their Riolu from birth and managed to drive off the invasion of Unova that outnumbered them three to one. I know your mother has told you of the first King of Kalos. A Froakie saved him from drowning and had a bond so strong that it apparently had a temporary fourth evolution in the heat of battle. Even one of the strongest trainers on the planet today. Lance, the Dragon Master. Hailing from Blackthorn, he protects his home in Johto from the civil wars that decimate the territory. His fathers Dragonite had a child the same time Lance himself was born." Then Oak decided to tell up his legend just a little bit, he bent over and whispered to the child.
"People say he is as strong as the dragons he rides into battle. He could be one of the people that bring together the Johto region. He is their pride and hope." Ash heard an unfamiliar tone in his voice but his comment sparked curiosity in him.
"Has Kanto ever been united?" Ash looked at the older man and saw a serene smile pass his features.
"Ahh, that is a good question. You will learn a bit more history today. While Kanto is one of the oldest regions in the world, only behind Sinnoh we have only ever been united twice. One of which will be told to you later, it involves the invasion of Honen. We have only had one champion though. 'The Lonely King of Indigo' is what the world calls him, for he is the only man to bring the cities of Kanto under one flag. His team consisted of three pokemon but his strength unmatched, a Jolteon faster than the lighting itself. A rhyperior that would move mountains with its fights and an Arcanine that was as hot as the sun. He gave each of the major and minor cities in Kanto their symbols. Those symbols are actually the badges each gym gives out, a reminder of the King himself." Professor Oak could see the wonder in the boy's eyes, it was the greatest tale in Kanto's history.
"He created the city of Indigo and that, is the last of his legacy. The battle for Mount Silver was his last action as Champion. He fought off the dragons of Blackthorn and the army of Johto with the cities of Kanto behind him. The battle was won after Jolteon shot the Drake's dragonite out of the sky and Arcanine danced with Salamence until they were too exhausted to move. Rhypeior faced the Kingdra in one on one combat and was the only one of the Kings pokemon to survive the battle. To fell a dragon is an immense task, one paid in blood by the Fire and Lighting of Indigo. Sick with grief the King passed away, unable to handle the burden of losing his family. He is buried in the halls of the ruinous city of nobody strong enough to be his successor his city crumbled and Kanto went back to their former state. It is said that Rhyperior guards the tomb of his master, unwilling to let him be forgotten by the passage of time." A grand tale for an even grander person. Ash was lost in the amazement and sadness of the story. Such a sad ending for someone so great. They both walked in comfortable silence until they reached the dusty road running through the middle of Pallet.
As they left the forest they were greeted by three people. A snickering boy, a worried looking girl and a deceptively calm woman who seemed to have a too serene smile. The boy seemed to be around Ash's age. While the girl was a few years older than both of them.
"H-hey Mom. I know I left the group but look I got a pokemon!" Ash stepped aside and flashed his hands towards Haunt who gave a wide smile to people in front of him. The two children were amazed with the sight in front of them and as for the women…
"That's nice sweetie but let's get you home. I have to make dinner and we have a lot to talk about." Without any emotion slipping in her voice except what seemed like sweetness. Haunt deflated and went back into Ash's shadow as the women grabbed Ash's arm with an iron grip. The boy looked back to see if his friends or even the professor would help him. They all looked away, the anger of Delila Ketchum was a rare thing but it held the weight of a rampaging Snorlax.
A few hours later
Professor Oak was in his lab, the sun had passed beyond the horizon and the moon claimed the sky. He sat down at the computer screen and imputed a number. It rang for a few seconds then an old voice answered the phone.
"The great Samuel Oak decided to call me, Oh what do I owe this pleasure?" The voice croaked out through the microphone, the tone was just dripping in sarcasm. The professor's eyes were as hard as steel.
"I am in no mood to play these verbal charades, Agatha." His tone had a sense of finality, the women on screen seemed to straighten up and drop her sarcastic smile. She responded in kind.
"Why are you calling me then? I don't see anything I could help you with." She matched his seriousness.
"One of my young up and coming trainers and a run in with a ghost." They locked eyes for a moment and the man continued.
"Yet instead of an early… departure. He befriended it. An eight year old child befriended a Hanuter! Not even a ghastly or a shuppet. I need you to come to Pallet town and check up on him. You're the only person I can trust this task to." He almost pleaded to the women, Ash was like a grandson to him. He would do his best to protect him even if it meant taking the ghost away.
"Stop with that pleading, it doesn't fit you. I'll be there in a week, these old bones aren't what they used to be." With that she hung up on the phone and for a moment the renowned Samuel Oak looked very, very old. He shook his head, things would be ok.
The next few days passed by quickly for Ash, after the earful and more he got from his mom she took the time and actually looked at Haunt. She was worried at first with the reputation ghost types have but quickly found no need to worry. Haunt was just as playful and goofy as Ash himself. He introduced Gary and his sister Leaf to Haunt. Gary wouldn't admit it but he was jealous of Ash getting a pokemon before him. Leaf seemed to be a bit reluctant to join Gary in playing with Haunt and Ash. Then Profesor Oak called Ash and wanted to see him after school was out.
He went over to the Professor's coral and when he arrived he saw the Professor with an equally old woman. Her shadow's seemed to dance without any fancy lighting. Samuel saw Ash arrive and gave him a friendly wave.
"Hello Ash, this is my friend Agatha. She is the foremost expert on ghosts." With the mention of ghosts Haunt seemed to pop out behind Ash to get a look at the women. She was hunched over in a red dress with a gnarled wooden cane. She spoke in a raspy tone that Ash wouldn't expect from the old woman.
"Come closer boy, I want to see you and that gas cloud you call a ghost." She was surprisingly snarky for her age but still he obied. He approached the woman and saw she had deep amber eyes that would flash purple every few seconds. Two ghosts left her shadow when he approached, a pair of gengars with blood red eyes seemed to lock onto him and Haunt.
They studied him for what seemed to be like an eternity. Then she snorted. What was so funny?
"The ghost is no more dangerous than the boy himself. He was just formed from distortion and only fed off the life force of the child so far. He has none of the animalistic emotions from feeding off of wild pokemon but it is strange. He should have at least eaten until you passed out but he stopped, choosing not to harm you. Most ghosts are confused and scared when leaving the void and shouldn't have the restraint to leave you standing after feeding. This is a firs-" A earth shaking roar tore through the fields from the forest. Professor Oak released a grizzled Tauros that heeded to his command and charged the forest where the roar came from. A few seconds later you could practically feel the impact made and an even louder sound came from the forest. Tauros was thrown out of the woods and was followed by a Snorlax and it seemed angry. Two deep gouge marks were bleeding on its stomach proving that Tauros made its mark. Ash felt something from the raging pokemon, more confusion than actual anger. Pain throughout its whole body. Ash couldn't stand it being in pain, so recklessly and quite stupidly he ran out in front of the Snorlax so no more harm would be caused. Two yells emanated behind him.
"Ash!" Oak cried out, not ready for the unprepared action of the boy.
"Move boy! This is no time for games!" Agatha croaked out, her ghosts leaving her shadow ready to protect him and take out the wild Snorlax.
"NO! Can't you see, she's just confused!" Ash's shadow doubled in size and Haunt rose out of it, protecting him from snorlax but preventing any more harm occurring to the giant creature. The best itself stopped moving, an angry snarl on its face and its claws ready for a fight. Yet still refused to charge them, only ten feet away from the boy. Ash slowly stepped forward, still wary of the relatively calm Snorlax. Ash could see out of the corner of his eye Oak's Dragonite and Charizard landing to the left and right of him. Daring the Snorlax to try anything, but let Ash step forward. Agatha and Oak were speechless, frozen at the sight before him. Then Ash laid his tiny hand on the Snorlax's stomach, its face held curiosity at the child before it. Then as if a flip was switched the creature plopped down and allowed Ash to laugh and hug its massive arm.
Everyone in the clearing was shocked, even the veteran pokemon were unprepared for the sight before them. Everyone on the planet knew the dangers of a rampaging Snorlax, they had the same reputation as Tyranitar. Yet here, an eight year old boy was hugging one like a Teddiursa, even Ash's Haunter seemed to be messing around with it. The snorlax was casually swatting away the cloud but was still careful to avoid harming Ash. Professor Oak didn't and couldn't understand it. Ash wasn't blessed with the rare ability of poke-speech nor any latent psychic abilities. Agatha looked at them with deadly seriousness.
"Get the boy's parents, Sammuel, this is no time for being gobsmacked. Keep your Dragonite and the ruthless Machamp out, they are the only things that could stave off a Snorlax and keep the boy safe. We need to get a pokeball for that thing before it snaps out of whatever fairy tail it's in." Agatha spoke out in rapid succion, this was the thoughts of a trained warrior and an experienced leader. Wise with years of hardships thrown at her.
Oak nodded and sent his Charizard to send word to Delila. A few minutes later Delila came walking to the coral and an absolutely shocked face adorned her's when met with the sight of Ash sleeping next to a Snorlax. The wounds on its stomach closed enough to stop the bleeding.
"Samuel I didn't know had a Snorlax?" They were the first words to come out of her mouth, the Professor was deceptively strong with a powerful team to prove it. He shook his head and motioned to follow him inside where Agatha was waiting. When they arrived Oak decided it was a good time to tell her.
"I actually haven't captured a Snorlax Delila, that would be your son." Silence was painfully loud as it filled the room. She gave him a look that could burn a hole through steel. After a few seconds of shock she responded.
"You mean to tell me, my eight year old child. My Ashy, managed to not only befriend a ghost but tame a WILD SNORLAX. AND YOU LET HIM GET THAT CLOSE. WHA-" she was cut off when the room temperature seemed to plummet. Everyone could see their own breath
"Do not blame Samuel for your son's own stupidity. Even children from other regions know to turn and run away from a sleeping Snorlax but that is not why we are here. We are here because your son" she pointed her wooden cane at the woman. "Pulled off the impossible. Taming a ghost this young, I can understand that with the circumstances at hand. But to calm down a raging Snorlax with nothing more than a look and a hug. This is something unheard of anywhere, in any region, at any time period. I've met his mother but who is the child's father?" Agatha asked with no hint of subtlety. This was needed to know information.
Delila's mask of rage diminished into one of wistfulness and nostalgia. She almost seemed lost in memory, it had been a long time since anyone asked that question. Agatha was in no mood to wait.
"If you do not know, we can do a DN-" she was cut off abruptly.
"I know who the father is! It.. It's just been a long time since anyone has asked me that. I am from Sinnoh, we met at Cameron Palace. He had just won the tournament there and was announced 'Aura Guardian'. We hit it off and we traveled to different cities together for a year. He was strong enough to protect both of us in the wild. We found out I was pregnant with Ash and he disappeared. I never heard from him again." The nostalgia was replaced with something, not anger but more like regret. Not at getting pregnant but at could have been. Agatha took the story in and waited a few moments. Samuel allowed Agatha to think, she knew more of the old history of the world than he did.
"Do you have a picture by chance?" Delila nodded and pulled out a worn, folded up photo. They were smiling in what looked like Alamos town with the ancient tower's behind them. The man seemed to be a spitting image of Ash, same spikey raven hair and tan skin. But Ash had his mother's brown eyes. Delila pulled out another photo, one of him battling in the tournament where they met in full guardian garb. Agatha's eyes seemed to widen at the sight of it.
"He truly does look like an Aura Guardian of old and it seems you are of old blood to Mrs. Ketchum. The boy has received both of your recessive traits and expanded on them naturally, it would explain how Haunter evolved so quickly and how Snorlax took to him like a Magikarp to water." Agatha seemed lost in thought again, trying to run through the tales her grandfather told her of the old world. Before pokeballs and spiralling cities. Samuel quickly cut in.
"Agatha, we can't seriously be talking about Aura. There is no definitive science that can prove the existence of the use of life energy. We know we have yet no way to use it. It's just there in humans unlike pokemon that can actually use it. The Knights of Sinnoh are but mere myt-" He was cut off by a hardy laugh.
"Again your science comes up short. There are many mysteries in the world that can not be explained by charts in data. We have one sitting at your very own coral. All I know of the lucrative Knights of old is that they were trained by Lucario in the ways of Aura. Yet what I know about Aura itself is hardly anything more. It is the ultimate form of self expression, like how everyone is different therefore so is their Aura. It seems young Ash found what he could do without training or anything to focus his Aura. I do not suggest telling the world this, this old power has been lost to history books but many are willing to go to great lengths to revive it." She left that rest unsaid. Then she quickly picked up again.
"I will tell nothing of what happened today except of a young ghost causing a raucous in your precious Pallet town. Samuel, keep an eye on Ash and that grandson Gary of yours. I sense he has a few surprises of his own in store." Her eyes flashed a deep scarlet matching her beloved Gengars with a wicked smile to top it off.
"Good by Mrs. Ketchum, I wish you and your son well. While you're at it, pound some sense into him. I would not rather see how far his abilities can go. Samuel, make sure to teach him and the brat you call a grandson well. I see the seeds of greatness in them, Kanto will need someone to lead it through the trying times ahead. My bones are old but I can feel the winds of change coming. Powerful forces stir and the world of man is not ready for the foundation we built on rumble. Good luck to both of you." She walked out and seemed to see Ash stir from his nap. She decided to leave with a few parting words.
"When you and that overgrown gas cloud have gotten a lot stronger and a whole lot smarter. Come visit me in Lavender, I have a few things I can show you about ghosts." Her laugh turned into a cackle and then a full blown cough. She shook her head and forced her feet to move down the road. Samuel and Delila looked out the window and saw Ash show off Snorlax to an absolutely gobsmacked Gary. Gary looked directly through the window at his grandfather.
"When the hell do I get my pokemon!? Ashy boy already has a freakin Snorlax!" Gary yelled so loud it even woke up Snorlax who promptly fell back asleep. Samuel only shook his head, he was just like his father.
"I really do need to teach that boy some manners but I do guess he has a point. Agatha mentioned Gary holding secrets, I hope it's the good kind like 'oh look grandpa I made pecan pie' and not much else." He let a sigh escape his lips and a small smile adorn his face, when he heard Delila let out a small laugh of her own. The road ahead was a long one to say the least.
First thank you for reading the story, second trust me I got this. Ash's ability will backfire if he keeps using it like he does but you know my man got a little plot armor. The next coming chapters will involve Professor Oak training and traveling with the boys until they are sixteen. Each chapter will explain a different mission/ different team member. Time skips will occur between chapters, some might be a few months others might be up to a couple years. They will not be overpowered by the time they turn sixteen, just prepared. Were you the best at English when you were sixteen even though you've been speaking it your whole life? Mmmm probably not. Everything will come into play that I have set up in this chapter, and I mean everything. Their teams are not set in stone, send me ideas if you have any and peace out.