Author's Note: Hello! I am an aspiring writer that is just getting into the field. I'm writing this story for practice but mostly just for the fun of it. I've loved Pokémon since I was three years old, and it's a blast to imagine what might happen if I had the opportunity to become a part of the pokémon world. I can't promise that the grammar will be perfect or that updates will be frequent or consistent, but I'll try not to frustrate y'all too much. Feel free to comment if you have any suggestions or comments. I want to know where I can improve and what I'm doing right. Plus, I get super excited whenever someone leaves a review, so please make my day and leave one. Thank you all for reading this story! Now, let's dive into the wonderful world of pokémon!
Chapter One
Light pierced Mariah's closed eyelids waking her from her slumber. Her first thought was that the light was from Arceus, but a few blinks to clear blurry eyes and a glance around proved it was from the morning sun shining cheerily through a window. She didn't know where she was, but as she looked around the bedroom with wide eyes, she couldn't say she wasn't happy to be there. It was feminine, but not girly, and it was tastefully decorated with pokémon themed décor. From what she could see of it, the quilt she was wrapped in depicted the different eeveelutions in amazing detail. A painting on one of the walls had a beautiful rendition of two bellossom sleeping in a field of flowers. There were also magikarp-shaped bookends on a small bookshelf and a cute bulbasaur-shaped planter in the windowsill. She loved all of it.
Movement outside the window caught her attention. A bird with a brown and cream colored body and black markings by its eyes had perched on a nearby tree, pecking at a pink berry. Mariah's breath caught as she greedily took in every detail. Tears welled, and she had to dry her eyes on the quilt to see. She didn't think a strong feeling of joy could make her cry, but, before today, she never thought she'd see a real pidgey either. It was just the beginning of a day full of firsts for her.
Mariah tried to get out of bed to get a closer look at the pokémon, but she got tangled in the blanket and squealed as she fell to the floor with a loud thud. The noise scared the pidgey, which fled somewhere out of sight. She desperately tried to free herself to follow after it, but her struggle just made her predicament worse. She was getting ready to call for help when she heard footsteps running her way. They stopped outside her door which was flung open banging against the wall. A young boy with brown eyes similar to her own and messy black hair looked down at her with his mouth agape. She would normally be amused by the boy's gobsmacked expression, but she was busy being gobsmacked herself.
Ash Ketchum was standing right in front of her. If she wasn't so shocked, then she might have embarrassed herself by fangirling a bit. After all, he was the main character of her all time favorite show. As a little kid, she had had her mom buy her an Ash Ketchum costume for Halloween and proceeded to wear it all year-round pretending that she was a pokémon trainer and that their pit bull was her pokémon partner.
A pretty brunette appeared behind Ash, and Mariah was surprised again by the appearance of another character she never expected to meet.
"My goodness! Ash, don't just stand there! Help your sister."
Delia Ketchum rushed passed Ash and started disentangling Mariah from her cocoon. Ash snapped out of his stupor and helped. After tossing the quilt on the bed, Delia pulled Mariah into a tight hug. She was too confused to react before the woman let her go and started fussing with Mariah's bedhead.
"It's so nice to finally meet you, Mariah! I hope you like your room? We can change anything you don't like. We'll need to go shopping anyway to buy you clothes, and while we're out, we can get anything else you want. I want you to feel comfortable here. Oh! Where are my manners? I'm Delia Ketchum, and this is my son, Ash. Arceus asked us to take you in as part of our family, and I couldn't say yes fast enough! Ash has been so excited to have a sibling, and I've always wanted a daughter. Of course, we don't expect you to accept us right away, but I hope that you'll come to think of us as your family."
Mariah was overwhelmed, but she was also touched by Delia's sincerity. She had been nervous that her new family wouldn't want a strange kid from another world. She smiled shyly at the Ketchums.
"I'll need some time to adjust, but I don't think it will take long for me to think of you both as my family. Thank you for accepting me and for the room. It's totally awesome. There isn't anything I want to change. The pokémon theme is perfect. I can't wait to see them in person."
Ash grinned and and started talking animatedly.
"I couldn't believe it when Arceus told us that your world doesn't have pokémon! There's so many I want to show you! There's pokémon all over Pallet Town and in the forest, and Professor Oak has more pokémon than you can count at his lab. I'll introduce you!"
He grabbed her hand and started pulling her out the door, but Delia stopped him with a laugh.
"Ash, at least let her eat something before dragging her all over town! You'll have plenty of time to see pokémon after breakfast. Are you hungry, Mariah?"
The Ketchums laughed as a monstrous growl from her stomach answered the question for her. Ash took off down the hall, pokémon temporarily forgotten in his eagerness for food. Chuckling, Delia shooed her out of the room after her new brother.
Breakfast was delicious and informative. Between bites of fluffy pecha berry pancakes, Delia told her that they planned to keep her background under wraps, but it had been necessary to tell Professor Oak about her. She would need legal documents, such as a birth certificate, and he had the necessary clout to get them. If anyone looked closely, then it would seem like she was adopted by the Ketchum family through their connection to Professor Oak, who had contacts around the world. The first ten years of her life were explained by a vague reference to an unnamed orphanage in the Orre region, which had very few pokémon compared to other known regions and would explain why she didn't grow up around them like most people. Mariah had been concerned that the professor's help would put him on the wrong side of the law, but Delia assured her that there was no need to worry about it.
After the meal, Ash took her on a tour around Pallet Town introducing her to the locals and showing her every different kind of pokémon he could find. She grinned at the grouchy dodrio resting on the roof of a neighbor's house, stared in amazement at a herd of tauros charging together through a pasture, and nearly floated away on a cloud of happiness when she saw the plethora of pokémon at Professor Oak's laboratory. The lab had been featured on several episodes in the anime, but they had barely hinted at the property's truly massive size. It was basically heaven for a pokémon nerd like herself.
Over the next several months, when she wasn't bonding with her new family, she could be found at Oak's lab learning as much as she could from the admirable man while helping him with his research and taking care of the pokémon. She had theoretical knowledge of pokémon from her first life but was sorely lacking in hands-on experience, so it was a tremendously helpful opportunity to prepare herself for her upcoming journey. Ash occasionally accompanied them, but he was too restless to stay long and usually ran off to play with pokémon or get into random competitions with Gary Oak. Mariah didn't mind her brother's lack of commitment to studying. She had a lot more to learn than him, and she knew before she met him that Ash learned best through experience rather than through studying. As for his competitions with Gary, she couldn't blame him for butting heads with the prideful boy. The professor's grandson was just as insufferable in person as he had appeared in the beginning of the anime, if not more so.
It did take time for Mariah to start thinking of Ash and Delia as family rather than just nice people she lived with, but it didn't take as long as she had expected. The Ketchums were just so warm and kind. They had been nothing but welcoming, loving even, from her first day in this world. Sometimes, she felt guilty for loving her new family, like it somehow cheapened her love for her first family. Her parents, grandmother, and two little brothers must have been devastated by her death, and the thought of their pain made her heart ache terribly. She missed them. They weren't a perfect family, but they had loved each other. Mariah was convinced Delia had some sort of mom superpower, because, on the worst days, when the grief overshadowed her joy for her current life, Delia was always extra attentive, making her favorite foods and planning fun activities that distracted her from her loss.
A few days before Ash and Mariah planned to start their journey, the pain peaked, and she broke down crying while helping Delia and Ash tend the garden. The sun was shining and a gentle breeze combated the heat perfectly making it the perfect day to work outdoors. Mariah knelt side by side with Ash pulling weeds while Delia picked vegetables to add to their lunch and dinner that day. It brought back similar memories of her brothers and her harvesting tomatoes, pea pods, and other crops while their grandmother supervised. On one particularly hot day, Mom brought out a pitcher of lemonade and big wedges of watermelon to snack on as they took a break in the shade. They all sat together talking and enjoying the tart juice and sweet fruit. Mariah couldn't resist spitting seeds at her brothers in a pseudo bullet seed attack. They retaliated, and when their mom and grandmother joined in, it turned into an all out war. It was one of her favorite memories.
Trying to get her unruly emotions under control, Mariah kept her head down as her vision blurred until she couldn't see the weeds she was supposed to pull. She clenched her fists on her thighs and tried to blink back her tears, but they wouldn't stop. Even with her back turned and rows of plants between them, Delia's supermom powers activated. She rushed over and pulled Mariah into her arms right as the waterworks started in earnest. Delia rocked her as she sobbed so hard she couldn't speak. When the grief ebbed to a manageable level, Mariah talked, for the first time, about the family she had left behind. She talked about her two little brothers and how she loved them fiercely enough to fight a boy that was twice her size for bullying them. She talked about her grandmother who taught her how to tend a garden and ballroom dance. She talked about her dad who worked more than he should, so they would never have to go hungry like he had as a kid. Lastly, she talked about her mom who was her most trusted confidante. As Mariah let down the last of the walls between herself and her new family, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders leaving her feeling tired but light and content. She wiped her face dry, smearing dirt on her cheek in the process, and grinned at Delia.
"So what's for lunch, Mom? I'm getting hungry."
Hearing Mariah call her Mom for the first time had Delia crying and nearly strangling her daughter in a tight hug. She might have passed out if Ash hadn't intervened.
For their last few days in Pallet Town, Delia kept her children attached to her hip. Mariah bore the borderline suffocating love with patience and affection. It was obvious their mom would miss them dearly when they left. Ash complained about it like a typical boy. Mariah would have snatched him up by his ear for his childish behavior, but, after she caught him hiding tears, she decided to let the boy hide behind his little manly pride.
The night before they started their journey, Mariah watched Ash in amusement as he vibrated with energy. He acted just like in the anime, over the moon to get his starter. Mariah wanted to make fun of him, but it would have been hypocritical. She was just as excited about getting her pokémon as him. She had considered camping outside the lab but decided that might be too extreme. Instead, she set her alarm so early that the sun hadn't risen yet when she left the house.
She peeked in on Ash before leaving and giggled at the sight of his broken alarm clock. She quietly snuck over to his desk to leave a note and a small gift wrapped box. It was her first birthday gift for him, so she had splurged more than she probably should have on it. Mariah took one last amused look at her drooling brother and slipped out of the house. She had already said her goodbyes to Mom last night.
Mariah could have woken Ash up to go with her, but she wanted to let things play out like the show this time. Pikachu and Ash were perfect for each other, and there was no way she would risk destroying their partnership before it could start. It was for the sake of that partnership that she planned on letting Ash experience the first leg of his journey alone and meet him in Viridian City. Since the moment she knew Ash was her brother, she had been considering whether she should change the plot and had, eventually, decided on taking a middle ground. Even if it was dangerous, there were certain events that she would not interfere with, like Ash and Pikachu's harrowing trip to Viridian City. However, there will be times when she'll risk the possible repercussions and take action, like when Team Rocket attacks the St. Anne.
Putting thoughts of her brother and his future adventures aside, Mariah tried unsuccessfully to calm her nerves as she looked at the front door to Oak's lab. It may be early, but she knew that the man was already awake and getting breakfast ready for all of the pokémon. It was a chore she had assisted him with many times, and the fact that the elderly man completed the monumental task three times a day on top of his research and spending time with his family was mind boggling. It was also completely unnecessary in Mariah's opinion, which she had shared with him many times. Over time, his protests to her nagging had lessened, so she was hopeful that the stubborn fool might actually hire a couple of assistants in the near future. She wondered if Oak was feeding the starters right now. She wondered what kind of food they liked, what kind of food her starter liked.
My first pokémon, my partner, is on the other side of this door. I had always imagined I would pick squirtle from the three Kanto starters, but now that I'm here, I'm unsure. All of them are just so amazing! Squirtle, charmander, bulbasaur. . . a trainer would be lucky to have any of them for a partner.
Wiping her sweaty palms on her shorts, Mariah took a deep breath and walked through the door she had been staring at for who knows how long.
"Professor Oak, I'm here to get my first pokémon!"
The professor's greeting from deeper in the lab was followed by a loud bang and what sounded like pokémon fighting. She cautiously peeked into the kitchen and found Professor Oak trying to break up a fight between a squirtle and a charmander. A bulbasaur sat on the counter eating its food and amusedly watching the other Kanto starters rolling around on the floor by the scattered remains of two bowls of pokémon food. They were making quite the mess smearing the food all over themselves and the kitchen while exchanging attacks. The professor tried to mediate, unsuccessfully, and ended up slipping on the mess and receiving one of the attacks flying around the kitchen.
Chuckling at the chaos that was commonly found around the older man, she ducked under a water gun attack and made her way to the counter where three pokéballs sat. She picked one up and tried to return one of the two brawling pokémon, but it turned out to be the bulbasaur's ball. Ignoring its protests, she returned it and did the same with squirtle putting an end to the fight. She tried to return the charmander, but it avoided her. Mariah gently scolded the young fire type.
"Charmander, return. Don't you think that you and squirtle have caused Professor Oak enough trouble?"
Half-hidden behind the kitchen's island, Charmander looked at the mess they had made and Oak's disheveled state with a guilty expression. It shuffled over to the professor and apologized. Oak wasn't upset. He loved pokémon a great deal. It would take something much worse than a small incident like this to make him angry. He patted its bowed head.
"No need to feel down, Charmander. Squirtle is partially responsible. It wouldn't have knocked your food of the counter if it hadn't been busy showing off. However, you should control your temper. As you grow, you'll get stronger and the damage you can cause in a moment of anger will be much bigger than a messy kitchen. Understand?"
"Char. . ."
Oak fondly smiled at the glum fire-type and took stock of the disorderly kitchen. He smiled hopefully at Mariah.
"I know you must be eager to choose your starter, Mariah, but would you please lend me a hand first? I can handle the kitchen if you'll bathe Charmander and Squirtle and give them their breakfast. Squirtle can be washed in the sink, but Charmander will need to be rubbed down with a warm, damp rag. Although, I'm certain my star pupil knew that already. Ha ha!"
"No problem, Professor. Just don't tell Gary I scored higher than him on your final exam. He's insufferable when his pride's been wounded."
Oak grumbled.
"My grandson needs a little humility, he's got more pride than a dragon-type."
Mariah hummed in agreement and skillfully made two bowls of pokémon food, adjusted for Squirtle and Charmander's types and taste preferences, bitter and sweet respectively. While Squirtle ate, Mariah gently picked up Charmander and set it on the counter by the large sink. It was wary when she turned the water on and stiff as she wiped the wet rag carefully over its scales. It gradually relaxed, and Mariah's heart softened when it actually leaned into her touch trustingly as she finished by wiping the most vulnerable part of its body, its tail. Once Charmander was clean and dry, it thanked her with an adorable smile and started working on its breakfast. Squirtle had finished eating, so she got it situated in the sink. The turtle pokémon was a natural showboat, cutely blowing bubbles and winking at her while she scrubbed its shell. It seemed like it would be a fun handful for its trainer and a good partner for a coordinator.
They finished cleaning and made their way to the part of the lab where Ash would later meet Pikachu for the first time. Returned to their pokéballs, Oak put the three starters in their respective spots on the machine. Then, he smiled and patted her on the shoulder.
"I'm going to miss having your help around here, Mariah. I've decided to listen to you and hire at least two new assistants. It'll be nice to have more time for my research. I know you're set on becoming a Pokémon Master and Top Coordinator, but if you ever decide to pursue pokémon research, you have a standing offer to work here. I see a lot of potential in you, my dear. But enough of that. I'm sure you're impatient to pick your first pokémon!"
Oak waved her forward, and Mariah considered each pokéball and the pokémon nestled inside them. She was sure that she could have a fulfilling partnership with any one of them, but her heart had already made its choice. The pokéball she picked up felt warm in her hand. Tossing it in the air, light flashed as her chosen starter appeared. Mariah knelt before the pokémon that would be her partner. Always.
"Charmander, would you do me the honor of joining me on my journey?"
Not expecting to be picked after causing trouble earlier, Charmander looked at her in surprise. The girl's brown eyes were warm and kind. Charmander had heard Professor Oak praising the trainer from her pokéball and remembered the care the girl had shown while bathing her. She had no doubt this trainer would treat her well and help her grow into a strong charizard. Charmander pointed her snout in the air and released a small ember attack to show her excitement. The flames burst harmlessly like mini fireworks, as Charmander jumped into her trainer's arms with a happy cry.
Mirroring the young pokémon's excitement, Mariah spun herself and her partner in a circle before sitting it back on the floor.
"Charmander, would you like a name? It's fine if you'd rather be called by your species, but I decided a while ago that I would offer all of my pokémon a name if they wanted one."
Mariah and Oak chuckled as Charmander nodded enthusiastically like a living bobblehead. Mariah remembered watching the sunrise through the window over the sink when she bathed Charmander earlier and made a suggestion.
"What do you think of Sol? It means sun."
Charmander dazzled them with more mini fireworks and once again jumped into Mariah's arms snuggling its face into her neck. She hugged the little one close, enjoying its warm and smooth scales.
"I'll take that as a yes. Thank you for agreeing to be my partner, Sol. I promise you won't regret it."
Holding Sol with one arm, Mariah followed Oak over to a table in the corner. There were four different piles of various items. The smiling professor gestured to the pile on the far right.
"It's nice to see the start of an excellent partnership between trainer and pokémon. Here's your pokédex, teal as you requested, as well as Sol's pokéball, a badge case, a ribbon case, and a few empty pokéballs to get you started."
Mariah picked up the pokédex first to scan Sol.
"Charmander, a fire type pokémon. The flame on its tail can be used to determine its health and emotional state. If it's healthy and happy, then the flame on its tail will burn brightly, even when exposed to rain. This charmander is female and has the blaze ability."
After memorizing the moves Sol knows, Mariah moved her partner to her shoulder while she packed everything in her bag other than the pokéballs, which went on her ball belt, and her pokédex, which she slid into her pocket. She was very happy with her bag and outfit. Mom and her had a blast shopping for it and everything else Ash and her would need for their journey. Her bag was teal like her pokédex but also had pale pink accents and a pattern of Mew silhouettes. For her outfit, she had picked out pink shorts with white lace on the sides in the shape of intertwining gracidea flowers, a soft black t-shirt, matching black and pink sneakers with teal laces, and a feminine belt for her pokéballs. Ash had refused to go shopping and let Mom pick his outfit, but they had plenty of fun without him. Ready to go, she threw her bag over her shoulder as Oak spoke.
"I've already registered you as a coordinator and a trainer, so you can participate in contests and the gym circuit in the Kanto region. The closest gym is in Viridian City, but I suggest that you either challenge it much later in your journey or avoid it altogether and go to Pewter City for your first gym match. Gyms are required by the Pokémon League to adjust their strength according to the number of badges a challenger has, but the Viridian Gym hasn't lost a match to a trainer with less six badges since their current gym leader was appointed. As for pokémon contests, there's one taking place in Viridian City soon. You should make it in time to participate. Delia and I have already made plans to meet with a few others and watch you perform!"
"No pressure."
Oak laughed at her sarcastic tone, and they made their way out of the lab chatting amicably. A cool breeze blew past them as they walked down to the main road making Mariah grateful for Sol's warmth on her shoulder. The sun was just starting to peak over the horizon, lighting the sky and adding pretty streaks of pink and purple to the dark blue expanse. Outside the front gate, Mariah bowed to Oak respectfully.
"Thank you, Professor. You've done so much for me. I don't know how to repay you."
Oak smiled softly.
"There's no need to balance accounts, but if you're determined to repay me, then you can do so by calling with updates on your progress. I'm eager to hear about your adventures."
Mariah easily agreed.
"I already planned to contact you and Mom often. I'm sure I'll see many things that I'll want to discuss with you."
She was going to miss the elderly man. Their relationship had started as teacher and student, but it had changed over time. Now, she thought of him as a friend and felt a similar closeness to him as she did to her grandmother in her previous life. Waving in farewell, she turned to the road ahead. It wasn't long before she was running with Sol by her side. They ran until they were breathless and Pallet Town was out of sight. Her pokémon journey had finally begun.
TO BE CONTINUED