Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak. I make no profit from this story.
A/N: I've been seeing a bunch of Pokemon What If's on Youtube and one was Ash not getting any Pokemon from Professor Oak and I wanted to give it a try. So this is my take on that. Enjoy
Ash Ketchum woke up with bright sunlight shining on his face. He sat up and sleepily wiped the drool from his mouth with his night shirt. He looked for his alarm clock but it was not in its normal place. A look of horror appeared on his face when he saw his alarm clock completely broken against the wall. Oh no, not today of all days, he thought to himself as he got out of bed as fast as he could. He grabbed his backpack that was by his door on his way out. Racing down the stairs, he stopped by the front door and put his shoes on. His mom stepped out of the kitchen, she had a look of worry on her face. Ash got to his feet and was out the door before she could say anything.
He ran all the way to Professor Oak's lab. When he was about at the front entrance he noticed a crowd of people there, all cheering Gary Oak's name. In his haste Ash didn't stop and plowed right to Gary knocking him down to the ground. Gray pushed him off and they both got to their feet. The crowd were concerned for the boys but they both brushed the dirt off themselves. "Watch it Ashy Boy you could've injured the next Champion." Ash ground his teeth but still apologized.
He took out a red and white Poke ball from his pocket and shook it in front of Ash's face. "I got the best of the three. The other two losers already took off to Viridian City with theirs." He stuffed the metal ball in to his pocket and hopped in to a red convertible sports car surrounded by cheerleaders. With barely a wave of his hand his departing words to Ash were, "Smell ya later!" The car then hurried down the dirt road. Now that the excitement died down the crowd left Ash alone.
A sigh passed his lips as he made his way to the front door of the lab. He knocked once and went right in. He walked down the white sterile hall toward the exam room, there stood the professor himself next to at display podium with three spots reserved for starter Pokemon Poke balls, all empty. "You're late Ash all the Pokemon are gone." The Professor's face and voice were stern but his face quickly soften in to disappointment. Ash's eyes gleamed with unshed tears. He clasped his hands together ready to beg the Professor, "please Professor Oak I'll take any Pokemon you have. I just need a chance." Samuel Oak quietly drummed his fingers in thought on podium.
"Well, there is one but ..." His voice trailed off in to nothing as his finger hovered over a red button. On second thought he pulled his hand away. "Never mind that one is too dangerous for a beginning trainer like yourself." Ash looked shocked then quickly started to whine, "why can't I have that one?" The stern look was back on Oak's face now. " Because that Pokemon has already shocked one of my assistants so badly with a Thuderbolt attack they are still in the hospital recovering and I can't in good conscious do the same to a young boy like you. Its still far too wild"
Professor Oak crossed his arms, "I would suggest waiting another year so you can chose one of the Kanto Starters." Ash opened his mouth to object but Oak raised his hand to silence the boy. " But I can see that is not an option for you." The Professor turned to rummage in a tall metal cabinet, a moment later in his hands were a small red rectangular device and six miniature Poke Balls. "A recently updated Pokedex and Poke Balls for you to catch a starter Pokemon of your own. I'm sure you can catch a Pidgey or a Weedle close to Pallet Town." He handed the items to Ash who held them close to his chest. "Thank you Professor. I'll catch something great you'll see." Before the Professor could say anymore Ash was out of the room and the lab proper, already running back home to change out of his pajamas. Samuel Oak had an optimistic look on his face when he said to the empty room, "good luck."
Ash went back to his house and changed in to the same outfit he had on the night before. He went in to the kitchen and grabbed an apple and filled up his water bottle. He opened the backdoor and poked his head out to his mom working in her garden. "Mom Professor Oak gave me some Poke Balls. I'm going to catch a Pokemon." Delia turned her head and smiled at her son, "Good luck Sweetie. Be careful." Before he closed the door he said would. As she heard the front door close Delia was happy that her son seemed happy despite how his day started.
Ash wondered in to the tall grass as he ate his apple. His snack was down to the core when he spotted a Weedle attempting to climb a tree. While the Bug-type was far from his first choice of a starter it was better than what he had which was none. He put the apple core in his mouth and wiped his sticky palm on his pant leg. Then threw an enlarged Poke Ball at the worm in a second it was sucked in to the ball. Before he could celebrate the ball wiggled and Weedle burst out, damaging the Poke Ball in the process. Ash opened his mouth in shock and the apple core fell to the ground. In anger the Bug-type let out a Poison Sting attack directed at Ash's face. Ash covered his face with his arms and ran away.
Rubbing his stinging arms Ash almost stepped on a Caterpie, who on reflex aimed a Sting Shot at Ash's face. The wannabe trainer was left to pull the sticky silk from his face as the green bug inched away. Ash let out a loud sigh and collapsed on to his backside. He took a drink from his water bottle and stood back up, getting a second wind. With renewed purpose Ash continued on, until he spotted a Pidgey pecking around the grass. Readying his Poke Ball he thew it at the Flying-type, who was sucked in to the ball in a red light. The ball shook back and forth before the Tiny Bird Pokemon broke out of the Poke Ball, and kicked up a Sand Attack. Ash rubbed at his watery eyes as Pidgey flew away.
Further in to the tall grass Ash saw another Pidgey sitting in a near by tree preening it's wings. He threw a Poke Ball at it, this one was faster and smacked the round device in to the tree before it could even be captured. It flew in to the air and let out a Gust Attack and circled back to its tree. Ash walked on before coming across a different Weedle he toss the Poke Ball and just as the bug was captured it to broke out of the ball. This time however the Bug-type ran as fast as it could and before Ash could react it had rammed its little horn in his left leg. Ash wobbled for a minute as the Weedle scurried away. Now in pain Ash let out frustrated scream before limping forward.
Some time later Ash spotted a Bird Pokemon perched on a rock. He could tell even from a side view it was a Spearow. The poison from earlier was starting to make him groggy and he decided to pick a pebble to throw at the bird as a way of battling it. The pebble somehow made contact with the Spearow's head causing a huge lump to appear. In anger the Flying-type rose up to the sky and started to dive-bomb Ash, in panic he threw a Poke Ball at it. In a beam of red light the Spearow was sucked in to the ball and landed on the ground with a thud.
The Poke Ball thrashed around for a full minute before exploding in to pieces. The Spearow flew up and swooped back down on to Ash who had wrapped his arms around his head to protect it. The bird Pokemon scratched the boy's arms with its talons. Ash hobbled away back on to the dirt path toward Pallet Town, luckily the Spearow gave up easy enough and flew off.
Sometime later Ash made it back to his house upon opening his front door he fell flat on his face. Hearing a noise Delia ran to the front of the house. When she saw her son lying on the floor she worriedly cried out, "Ash!" She stuck her head out the front door and yelled out until some of the neighbors came over. They helped her carry Ash back to his bed then she removed his clothes and cleaned up and bandaged the worst of his wounds. When he had on a fresh set of pajamas on, she left him a moment to call the town doctor to treat her son. 15 minutes later the doctor came to the house, she gave the boy a shot for the poison and something to stop any infection from the scratches. Delia thanked the doctor as she saw her to the door when the doctor left, she went up stairs to see her son. When she saw he was sleeping she closed the door and went to call Professor Oak and tell him what happened.
It was late evening when Ash woke up again. His throat was dry and he needed water. He manged to get out of bed and to the stairs, clutching the railing he slowly made his way down and in to the kitchen to get a glass of water. That's where Delia found him, guzzling his second glass of water. She asked him if he was hungry, his rumbling stomach answered for him. She made him sit at the table while she heated up some beef broth she made the other day along with a piece of homemade bread. As he ate Delia started talking, "I didn't think the wild Pokemon around here would be so dangerous maybe you should wait until you get a proper starter Pokemon." Ash swallowed his bite of bread before answering, "Mom I have to do it this year I don't want to be behind everyone else. And before you say it its not because I want to beat Gary, I just want to train Pokemon and see the world."
She could tell there would be no arguing with him on this point. She stood up and left the kitchen to go to the hall closet a few minutes later she was back in the kitchen carrying thin black leather case, she set it on the table. "This is your grandpa's old fishing rod maybe you can go down to the beach and catch a Water-type Pokemon." Ash's eyes lit up, he thank his mom and finished his food. The wannabe Master was saddened when his mom told he had to get some more rest before he could fish. On the way back to bed Delia made Ash use the restroom. Once more in bed Ash was ready for some much needed sleep.
Later that night Ash was determined to catch a Pokemon. He got out of bed again and changed in to a clean pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. He made his way down the hallway as quietly as he could his mom was fast asleep. Once he was down stairs Ash grabbed the fishing rod and his backpack before putting on his shoes. He slipped out of the house and made his way to the beach, it was dark and cloudy that night luckily he had a flashlight with him. Ash picked a spot close to shore got the rod out and dug through his backpack. He knew his mom had bought a little package of Pokemon treats for his starter he was going to get. Tearing it open he found the little brown pellets were soft so he put one on his hook. He cast his line hearing it wiz forward in to the ocean. Ash carefully sat down on the sand and enlarged his last Poke Ball so he could be ready.
The night wore on and it started to drizzle not wanting to give up Ash still waited. At some point his flashlight died, he just knew he shouldn't have left it on all night last week. It was too dark to find the extra batteries in his bag, he would just have to deal with it. Ash's eyes started to droop, he wanted to sleep. He nodded off for only a moment it felt like when his arm was jerked nearly out of its socket. He got a catch and it felt big. Ash started to reel the Pokemon in. I'll take a Krabby, a Shelldar, anything, he thought. Once on land Ash blindly threw his Poke Ball before the ball hit he heard a loud gasped bellow of "Magikarp!" The ball land and the Water-type was absorbed in the device, a brief shaking and the Poke Ball dinged signaling a successful catch. When he realized what he caught Ash let out a weak little, "great."
To Be Continued...
List of Ash's Pokemon:
Magikarp
A/N: Was I too rough on Ash? Reviews are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for your time have a nice day.
