I'm glad to see so many people like this story so far, it really makes me happy and driven to continue this story. And right now, that drive is something I need in my life. So, before I ramble on, let's get into the chapter!
Electrical sounds filled the night air.
Ash's eyes shot open.
The last time he'd heard those sounds, he was almost electrocuted.
He sat up and was met with the eyes of his partner Pokémon, questioning why he was up at this time of night.
He rubbed the top of her head, "Sorry, girl. I know what's causing those sounds. It's a Pichu." That revelation got Dratini's attention.
Ash smiled. "Wanna go fight it?" he asked her. She didn't answer immediately, staying silent as if going over it in her head, before nodding.
Ash silently got out of bed (his mother deserved to sleep), putting on his red League hat, windbreaker and rubber gloves (that thing was not shocking him) and boots and headed out of the room…before immediately going back and taking two Pokéballs, Dratini's and one empty off of his belt's holsters, and putting it in his jacket pocket. Completing the makeshift ensemble was Dratini, slithering up Ash and wrapping herself around his neck.
He had known her for less than 24 hours and he already felt happy and comfortable with her presence. He just knew that they will be able to achieve great things together.
This would be a test run for that.
He flicked on the lights of the upstairs hall, but nothing had changed. The damn mouse was at this house chewing through their wires.
After quietly going down the stairs, Ash used the moonlight peeking through the first floor's windows to go into the kitchen searching for the drawer where the flashlight were.
After rooting around, he pulled out the flashlight he used last time, and attempted flicking it on.
It did not turn on.
Ash then proceeded to remember when Pichu tried to shock him last time, he had dropped the flashlight, and that one of the shocks had hit the flashlight. He had thought that it had been thrown away, but his mother must have brought it in and thought nothing was wrong with it.
Ash sighed. Well, that sucks. That would make this encounter harder.
He quietly told Dratini "Guess we're going in dark, sorry." He stood there, in the dark, leaning against the kitchen counter, thinking of ways to light up the night, but nothing sustainable and bright enough came to mind.
He continued to ponder it but was then disrupted by Dratini raising her head, and started building draconic energy, like she did when performing Dragon-type moves. Of course, with Dratini, this showed by the jewel on her forehead shining, which lit up the kitchen a decent amount.
"Awww, Dratini, you're the best!" he whispered. He meant every word of it too. Dratini was not only a powerful, rare Pokémon, but she was willing to help too? She was awesome.
Ash still felt he didn't deserve her, but he was willing to put in the effort to bond with her, and it seemed like she felt similar. He was worried about her timidity at first, but she seemed to sense his intent somehow, and seemed to trust him a lot, far quicker than he expected.
He was curious as to why she trusted him so much, but he wasn't gonna question it too much. He and her were together now, and they would be partners for life.
With her lighting the way, Ash went outside, tracing the source of the electrical noises.
Ash took in the surroundings briefly. Pallet Town was always quiet, but in the dead of night, the town looked eery, too still, feeling like the building themselves were watching his every move.
Dratini remained content on Ash's shoulders, light still burning. Ash went to look under the porch.
There was nothing for a second, and then sparks, flashes alongside the telltale signs of chewing.
Dratini leaned forward and increased the brightness of her light, revealing the little yellow Pokémon, happily munching away at one of the house's electrical wires.
It then noticed the light that was now on it, stared at it for a few seconds, and immediately made a run for it, getting out from under the porch in a few seconds, before taunting Ash, and running off.
Ash told Dratini "Chase after it!" and off she leapt from his shoulders.
Pichu looked back to see Dratini chasing it and laughed. There was no way that stupid reptile could catch up. And so it turned its head to the nearby woods, ignoring the dragon.
Ash grinned. Normally, a Pokémon like Pichu would be right to laugh, but Dratini's nature was Timid. Timid Pokémon are fast. And Dratini's light was still shining, allowing it to clearly see where it was.
And so, within a few seconds of turning its back on her, she had caught up with him.
"Wrap!" he called out to her, making his way up to the pair. She instantly coiled around the little mouse, wrapping him up tightly.
Pichu did not like this, and showed this dislike by shocking Dratini, although being part Dragon-type, this did little more than mildly annoy the blue dragon, continuing to hold a tight grip on the Electric-type.
Pichu continued to shock Dratini, with higher voltages each time, and showed off strength that she and Ash hadn't expected, using its still-free tail to help slowly prop up its hind legs, until it was nearly standing on them.
It stopped the constant shocks for a brief moment before leaping backwards, slamming itself, and by extension Dratini onto the ground, and letting off the biggest shock so far.
This combination stunned Dratini long enough for her grip to loosen and Pichu instantly darted away, still making a beeline for the forest.
Ash's heart dropped. He knew that Pichu would never go near them again after this, and he would never have a chance to catch it again. This was be the first shot he had taken as a trainer, and he would fail spectacularly. The trust in Ash from the Professor to raise a Pokémon as rare as Dratini would be for nothing.
His brain went into overdrive, scrambling to see what he and Dratini could do, and then it hit him.
Ash, not even turning to Dratini, yelled "Dragon Breath!"
Dratini had been building up draconic energy for a while at this point, and so she didn't need to charge up. Blue ethereal fire shot out of her mouth, quick as a flash.
Pichu had gotten far, but not far enough to escape and the charged up attack hit right on target, knocking the mouse off the ground, and hitting hard against a tree. With the earlier damage it had taken from the Wrap, this knocked it out.
Ash did not waste any time. He enlarged the Pokéball he had brought with him and chucked it at Pichu as quick as he could. Memories of his time playing baseball with his friends over many summers filled his mind as he threw it. Guess all that pitching paid off.
It hit the unconscious mouse instantly, opening up and turning the little being into light, containing it before closing, falling onto the ground before shaking.
One…
Two…
Three.
They'd done it. On their first attempt, he and Dratini had caught a Pokémon.
Not just any Pokémon, but one that had evaded some experienced adults.
Ash looked to Dratini, tired from what had just happened but happy that they had beaten Pichu.
"You really are the best, Dratini!" he said, reaching down to rub her head again.
She made a happy noise, nuzzling his hand before slithering back up to her now familiar perch around Ash's neck before laying her head down and closing her eyes, finally drifting off to sleep after the most eventful day of her short life.
Ash smiled, now feeling that same tiredness after the adrenaline had worn off. He picked Pichu's Pokéball off the ground and looked at it for a while.
He had been truly blessed.
Yesterday morning, he had woken up upset over being late and not having a Charmander.
This morning, not only would he have possibly the only Pokémon rarer than the three starters, but he now had the local trickster under his ownership.
Ash wondered if there was a mythical Pokémon watching over him.
He had gotten the best start possible, and he planned to keep up that momentum.
But now, his bed called for him, and he made the trek back home, reflecting over the sheer insanity of it while he did so.
When he made it back home, he was surprised to see his mother in her nightgown waiting for him on the porch.
Ash opened his mouth to tell his mother the whole tale, but she cut him off.
"I heard those electrical sounds. When I got downstairs, you were already gone, so I assumed you were going after that Pichu that keeps chewing through our wires. Is that right, Ash?"
Ash nodded yes, a little guilty that he left without considering telling his mother what he would do.
Delia Ketchum sighed, too tired for these shenanigans. "Did you catch it?" she asked, wanting to see if all the inane ranting of her co-workers at the lab were finally coming to an end.
Ash nodded, responding with "Yep, Dratini knocked it out, and then she fell asleep" motioning to the now snoring dragon sleeping on his shoulders.
Delia rolled her eyes, but tiredly smiled. She should have expected that from her boy. "Give them to me and I'll have them healed and refreshed by morning. Those backup generators I got installed should work long enough for the wires to get replaced."
Ash hesitated for a moment, before handing her Pichu's Pokéball and recalling Dratini into hers and handed them over to his mother.
Ash told her "I'm sorry I worried you. Thank you for doing this for me, Mom" before wrapping her up in a hug. Dratini's already rubbing off on him, she thought jokingly.
"Don't be silly, Ash. Now get in here and go to bed, you got a big day ahead."
Ash nodded, heading up the stairs with a "Thanks, Mom. Good night."
Delia sighed once more, heading back in and locking the door behind her.
Her son was growing up too fast.
He'd gone from sad and frustrated over missing getting a starter to over the moon with Dratini to know capturing the local menace, all in less than a day.
She knew her son wanted to be one of the greats. She knew that he had all the tools to succeed at that goal, and that he would make it happen, no matter what. She knew that it was a long, hard and dangerous path he would be going on, and she knew it would be a tough life to get where he wanted to be.
She trusted her son, and she had done her best to make sure he would be in a position to do what he dreamed of, teaching him how to cook, clean, making sure he searched every avenue possible in a situation, but she was a mother goddammit. She would worry about him, and she would not trust his judgement completely.
She had carried him for nine months and raised him on her own. His father was unfit to raise a child, and so she left him. Oak helped her and her son immensely, even giving his former student a job that she used to support her and her son.
She'd been under her eye his entire life, and now he was setting out on his own. She was happy that he was finally setting out to do what he wanted his whole life and was sad that her baby boy was really flying the nest.
She wouldn't deny him. Nothing would stop him from being the best Pokémon Trainer he could be, and she wouldn't try.
She just knew he would show her the greatness he had within him, he'd show the whole world, and knew he would make his dream reality somehow.
And she just knew that she would be the proudest mother in the world.
Told you this was a shorter chapter, didn't I?
Like some of you predicted, Pichu (and eventually the trolling Pikachu we all know and love) would join Ash's team, because you have to. Ash and Pikachu are a package deal, even if in this fic they aren't as close as Ash and Dratini are.
I mostly write chapters in bits, to make sure I don't lose the energy I have keeping me to write it, and this was mostly written in one. I hope it wasn't boring compared to the two that came before it.
Next chapter, we finally leave Pallet Town and Ash can *officially* start his journey.
Till then, I must bid you Goodbye, and Good Night!