Here's chapter 2, the first real chapter of my story. Rate, review, Still don't own Pokemon. You know the deal.
Chapter 1: To be the best
Today's the day…
14-year-old Ashura Ketchum stood at the edge of his bed, fists clenched, and eyes scrunched in anticipation.
Today's the day I will meet my first partner…
"Breathe in… breathe out…"
Today I will start my quest...
Determined, amber-gold eyes snapped open.
To be the very best.
He hadn't slept well the night prior, between watching the Indigo Grand Final matchup and the adrenaline pulsing through his veins. He was already dressed in one of his three sets of traveling clothes, and his bag was already packed. He smiled slightly, knowing that of the three trainers leaving pallet today, he was the most prepared. At eight years old, Ash had started washing dishes at his mother's restaurant. When he was 6, he had begged professor Oak to let him work around the lab brushing and feeding the pokemon in the ranch, fixing fences, and other simple tasks for a small allowance. He needed this money to by the new Silph Co. brand travel containers.
Silph Co. had recently come out with a set of travel cases that utilized the same spatial-compression technology that pokeballs did, allowing travelers to store all their traveling necessities in a single bag. In order to hold multiple separate items, the company had to remove the total-mass-diffusion tech that the handy spheres had, which made it so that each pokeball would remain the same weight no matter what creature remained inside. In contrast, these 'Traveler's Toolboxes' utilized a partial-mass-dispersion system that made it so that each item placed inside the clasped containers would be reduced to 70% its normal weight, forcing trainers to be weary about what they were packing. You needed to be able to lift your backpack, after all.
Ash had spent most of the money he earned in his childhood on four of these containers. He had bought two of the smaller models: one for medicinal items like potions, antidotes, and revives, as well as one for miscellaneous items, like pokeballs and evolutionary stones. These two went in the left and right small side pockets of his black canvas backpack. In the secondary compartment lay a medium-sized container, which held all food, berries, and drink for both him and his partners. Seeing as this box filled only the bottom half of the compartment, Ash decided to place a few loose pokeballs, a survival knife, flashlight, and water bottle on top for ease of access. The main compartment of his bag (the one closest to his back when worn), had the largest of the set, though it was rather flat. This held his tent, sleeping bag, spare clothes, as well as the most expensive item in his bag: his TM case.
Ash couldn't help the small groan of frustration that escaped him. The TM case had cost almost as much as all four of the Silph Storage cases combined. He knew that having access to TM's early on would prove extremely beneficial in the long run, but that didn't lessen the sizable bite the damn thing had taken out of his already- light wallet.
After unzipping and rechecking his backpack for the fifth time that morning, the raven-haired teen let out a shaky breath before rezipping it and laying it gently on the hardwood floor. You know it's not going anywhere. Leave it be.
Grabbing his red hat from atop the bedpost, the trainer-to-be made his way through his poster-covered door and into the upstairs bathroom down the hall. A quick splash of cold water later, a less drowsy, revitalized Ash Ketchum took one last look at himself in the mirror.
"Oh Ashy…"
Startled, Ash turned to greet his auburn-haired, amber-eyed mother Delia. Leaning gently against the doorframe, she smiled sadly. "You look so much like your father."
Ash returned her smile, before walking over and wrapping her in a tight hug. "I know mom."
She was right, after all. Where Delia's features were soft and gentle, her son's face was sharp and defined. His eyes, unlike her gentle amber pools, were a blazing, deep gold. Black, messy hair fell in gentle tufts from the brim of his hat, and Delia couldn't help but reach up and brush a few of the stray strands away from his face.
"You may look like your father, but you will always be my little Ashy" she cooed, pinching his tanned cheek.
"Mo-oooooom" the sheepish teen whined, pulling her hand way. "I'm not little anymore. I'm starting my journey today. That makes me man now!" Puffing up his chest, Ash began to flex his athletic form, in a vain attempt to look older. Working at the professor's ranch hadn't been easy and the effect the physical labor had on the teen's body was noticeable, but this did not save the poor teen from his mother's sharp wit.
"If you're such a grown man now, I guess that means that you don't need your poor old mother to make you breakfast anymore," she teased before traipsing through the hall and down the stairs.
In hot pursuit, Ash called out. "uhhhhh Mom? Grown men need to eat too!"
"So Ashy, are you all packed? Is there anything you still need?" Delia fretted, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Did you pack enough underwear?"
"Yeah ma," he replied with a roll of his eyes. Glancing at the clock, he gasped. "Oh no! It's almost 9:00! I'm going to be late!"
Leaping out of his chair and knocking over his nearly empty glass of orange juice, the young teen took of in a dead sprint. "MomIgottagoI'llbebacklater!" Ripping open the front door, Ash set out into the sunny spring day.
Sprinting down the dusty dirt paths of Pallet, he let his mind wander. I can't believe this is happening! I'm getting my starter today!
Hanging a sharp left, he continued. Arceus dammit, I hope Gary's running late. He's never let me live this down! Maybe he got hung up styling his hair. Yeah. That's it. Or maybe he's still debating whether or not his shoes match his belt! he finished with a chuckle. He could see the proud wood fences of Oak's ranch in the distance. Ah ha! Almost there!
Bursting around the last corner, Ash couldn't hold in the groan of frustration that burst forth. Of course he's already here.
"There you are, Ashy-boy!" came the arrogant cawing of his childhood rival and best friend Gary Oak. "Here I was, thinking you'd gone and chickened out on me before I had the chance to kick your ass on home!"
Garrison Oak was stood proudly in front of the glass doors of his grandfather's laboratory. His Chestnut-brown hair spiked dramatically over the front of his chocolate brown eyes, reaching just shy of covering the arrogant smirk plastered across his pale face. He was dressed in a formfitting black tee with his hands resting in the pockets of his deep purple jeans. A low hanging pendent necklace swayed gently in the wind. Gary was just over two months older than Ash was and loved hoarding that over his raven-haired rival.
"You're one to talk, Gare-bear," droned the unimpressed, distinctly feminine voice. "You actually live here, and I've been waiting longer than you have."
Sitting in the fresh spring grass of the Pallet plains was Leaf Green, eldest of Oak's graduates and best friend of the quint towns exuberant duo. Smiling brightly at the approaching teen, she greeted the new arrival. "Morning Ash. Are you ready for today?"
"Hey Leaf. I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be," he grinned.
Leaf had moved to Pallet four years ago. She was just over eight months older than Gary, and ten months older than Ash. Her lively, straight brown hair fell just below her bare shoulders and was held in place by a circular white sun hat. She was wearing a turquoise blue sleeveless tee with a sunburst orange skirt that swayed in in tandem with the foliage around her. She was the mellowest of the trio, and often sat as the mediator of the three.
Ash and Gary were both extremely passionate and even more competitive. When the boys were getting out of hand, Leaf was the one that would reign them back in. In return, the two boys served as her own personal set of bodyguards, warding away admirer and enemy alike.
"Whatever, Greeny," sneered Gary. "I wasn't the one screeching like a banshee when one of gramp's Tauros came and gave me a big ol' kiss on the rear."
Leaping from her grassed sanctuary, pale face flushed and arms shaking, the feisty brunette screeched "Dammit Gary, you ass! I did not!"
"Did too"
"Did not"
"Did too"
"Did not"
"Did to-"
"Ah, Good morning everyone! Sorry to keep you waiting!" Walking briskly through the large sliding glass doors was the slightly disheveled Professor Samuel Oak. "I hope I didn't keep you long?"
Seeing as Leaf and Gary were already occupied, Ash stepped forward. "Not at all, professor. We all just got here."
"Wonderful! Come on in then!" he said excitedly, ushering the teens inside. "There's no use keeping you waiting any longer than you have to. You do have journeys to start, after all!"
The three teens followed the jovial professor through the familiar layout of the lab, before exiting out the back and into the vast fields of the ranch. On a nearby wooden table sat Oak's lead assistant, Mary, who was drumming her slender fingers against the roof of a battered leather briefcase.
"Thank you, Mary. I believe I can handle it from here," Oak stated, walking over to the purple haired scientist. "You're welcome to stay, of course. There's nothing quite like watching two lifelong partners meet for the first time."
"Thanks for the offer, professor, but I still have to finish analyzing those samples Bill sent us yesterday," she replied. Turning to the trio of trainers-to-be, she grinned. "Congratulations you three. It's been a pleasure working with you all these last few years, and I look forward to hearing just what great things you will accomplish. Good luck, and don't forget to have fun while you're at it!"
Leaf stepped forward shyly and paused, as if unsure as to what to do, before promptly wrapping the teary-eyed assistant in a tight embrace. "Thank you so much for everything, Mary. I'll miss you," she muttered through Mary's lab coat.
Gary shot her a quick smirk before giving her a thumbs up. "Yeah, Mar, Thanks a bunch!"
"You're very welcome, Gary. And I'll miss you too, Leaf. Try and stay out of trouble for me, will ya?" she joked, returning the brunette's embrace. After separating herself from the teary teen, she walked towards the youngest of the three and knelt down, resting a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder. "If you end up finding your dad, kick his ass for me, yeah?"
Blazing gold eyes met the gentle green gaze of Oak's right hand. "I promise."
When Red left, Delia was forced into working long nights at the restaurant in order to pay the bills. Red had left much of his tourney winnings, but between caring for a growing boy, running a restaurant, and trying to maintain a healthy household, these funds were quickly drained. How she managed to do so was beyond understanding, but it had not gone unnoticed by her son. Ash hated what his father had done, but not because of what he did to Ash, but what he did to his mom. When Red left, it left an aching void in Ash's heart, but in the end, Red was right; Ash had begun to move on. It was Gary that had helped with that. Gary's parents had been killed in a car crash when he was a baby and was all Ash had growing up, outside of his mother. Delia, on the other hand, was a wreck. Ash could hear her muffled sobs at night. He saw the empty wine bottles in the trash. Ash tried to be there for her the best he could, but he knew that when she looked at him, she would see her husband. Ash had vowed to one day find his father and make him pay for everything that he had put his mother through, and that was why he had attacked his studies so viciously.
Smiling gently at the raven-haired teen, Mary stood once more, dusting of the stubborn blades of grass that clung to her knees. "This is goodbye then, at least for now. Go make Pallet town proud."
With one last smile, she walked into the lab, automatic doors closing quietly behind her.
"She really is proud of you three, you know," Sam stated, causing the teens to turn and face him again. "She worked very hard last night, getting things ready for you," he reminisced. Straightening his back and moving the briefcase towards the end of the table, he addressed the gathered teens. "Let's see what all that hard work has led to, hmm?
Unclasping the rusted iron buckles that kept the beaten briefcase closed, the excited professor beamed at his students, before gently lifting the lid, revealing three flawless red and white spheres, glimmering in the springtime sun. "Tradition states that it is the lady that chooses first, so Le-"
Garry groaned loudly. "Come ooon, gramps, shouldn't I go first?" he complained. "You know, blood before water, or whatever?"
"Now Gary, you are all my students, and that means that today, you will wait your turn, grandson or not," he reprimanded. Shifting his gaze towards the only female of the tree, he smiled. "So, Leaf my dear, why don't you come on over here and meet your partner? I believe the first one on your left may be of interest to you."
She took a few shaky steps forward, extending an unsteady hand and grasping the leftmost sphere. At the professor's reassuring nod, she let out a dazzling, wide smile before tossing the ball into the air.
Emerging from the sea of light was a squat, heavyset, frog-like quadruped. Dark splotches were scattered haphazardly across the grass types rough, rubbery skin and sprouting from its back was a large green bulb that seemed to glow in the early spring sun. Tilting its large, round head, the small creature opened its bright red eyes, sitting back on its thick hind legs. The stout pseudo-reptile's legs were rather short, with three small but sharp claws emerging from its stubby toes.
"Ohhhhh! You're so cute!" cried the ecstatic Leaf, diving down to her knees to meet it's curious gaze. "Hi Bulbasaur! I'm Leaf, your new trainer!" Extending her hand for the bulbed amphibian to sniff, she continued. "It's great to meet you! I'm going to be heading out on an adventure soon, and was wondering if maybe you wanted to come with me?"
Sniffing its new trainer's hand, the grass starter sat up straight as it tried to mimic the pretty brunette's wide grin, with its long red tongue flopping out of its wide, blunt snout. "Bulba!" affirmed the quadruped, nodding up at its new trainer.
Scratching her partners rough cheek, she beamed, "That's great! Oooh, we're going to get along so well aren't we, Bulbi"
"Yeah, yeah. This is cute and all, but step aside, Greeny. Its time a real trainer got his starter!" came the sarcastic Gary, shoving Ash out of his way. "It's the right one, isn't gramps?"
At Sam's exasperated confirmation, Gary rushed forward and tossed the second sphere into the air.
"Come on out, Squirtle!"
"Hey, Leaf. I don't know how he managed it, but the professor might have just found Gary's reptilian doppelganger," whispered Ash, an amused grin threatening to take over his tan face.
Leaf failed to muffle her giggle as she smiled at her friend. "that Squirtle looks almost as full of itself as Gary does!"
Emerging from the red beam of energy was a knee-high sky blue, bipedal turtle. It wore a small but hard shell with eight small plates encased its narrow chest and core, before reaching around the thick white separator plate to grasp brown, scaled dome A small blue, swirly tail sprouted from a small opening in the hard exo-suit. Two stubby three-toed legs stuck out of the bottom half of its shell, with two equally stubby, three fingered limbs sprouted from just beneath its nearly spherical, beaked head. Its hands were proudly placed at what Ash could assume was a turtle's equivalent of hips. A large pair of black sunglasses concealed two arcing reddish-purple eyes, and a mirror image of Garry's cocky smirk plastered across its wide, lipless mouth.
"Hell yeah, gramps! He's awesome!" shouted the professors spikey-haired grandson. "Hey there, Squirtle! I'm Gary, and I want to be a Pokemon Master. How about it, pal? You want to join me?"
Flashing the chestnut-haired teen it's best attempt at a thumbs up, the small water type let out a throaty "Squirtle squirt, squirt!"
"Aww yeah!" Gary shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "See that, Ashy-boy? That's what I call a pokemon! We're already best buds, aren't we, Squirtle?"
A hearty nod and a three-fingered fist-bump confirmed the boy's statement.
"I'm glad you're happy, Gary, but if you could please move over a bit. We still have another person waiting," the professor reprimanded. Watching his grandson shuffle away from the front of the table, Sam turned to face his youngest student. "Ash, my boy, I believe it's your turn. Step on up, lad."
The nervous teen took a shaky step forward, before pausing and letting out a deep, shaky breath. Come on, Ketchum. Deep breaths. In and out… in and out…
After taking a moment to compose himself, Ash confidently approached his mentor, extending a steady hand to grasp the final ball.
Withdrawing the sphere and holding it gingerly in front of him, Ash couldn't help the shiver of excitement that creeped up his spine. It's so warm, he thought, caressing a loving thumb across the glossy surface. It's pulsing… it feels almost like a heartbeat.
A wide-eyed Ash glanced up at the professor in disbelief. "Professor, i-is it really? But I thought you said that the breeders were gone," stuttered the amazed teen.
"They are, my boy," replied the bright professor. "I've been searching for months, but I managed to stumble upon this one the other night," he explained.
"Hey Ashy-boy! Is this going to happen anytime soon, or should Leaf and I go rent you two a room?"
"Uggghhh! Gary! Could you shut your mouth for five minutes?" and irate Leaf yelled. "You know better than anyone how much this means to him!"
Turning bashfully towards the less sarcastic teen, the girl muttered, "We're just excited for you, Ash. We know how bad you wanted this, and we just want to see you happy. Take your time."
"Thanks, Leaf. I appreciate it, but I don't think I can wait any longer. Besides, Gary looks like he's about to fall asleep." After receiving a reassuring nod from his mentor, he took a few careful steps away from the table before tossing the sphere into the air for the very first time.
"Alright let's go! Charmander, I choose you!"
Arcing gracefully through the air, the spinning sphere burst open, a bright flare of light erupting from inside. The light poured down, condensing atop the grassy plain as a two-and-a-half-foot tall biped.
"Char! Charmander!
The deep orange scales of the tailed reptile glinted brilliantly in the morning sun, shielding a cream-colored underside from the warm rays. Tall, blue, dome-like eyes surveyed the plains as it dug a pair of three-clawed feet into the soft soil. A bright orange and yellow flame sprung from the end of its lengthy, pointed tail and it flickered gently in the gentle breeze. The appendage swayed anxiously. A quiet growl rumbled within its small chest as it wearily observed the encroaching humans. Baring a single row of razor-sharp teeth, the fire type flashed two pairs of inch long canines that sprouted from the upper and lower jaws.
Wasting no time at all, Ash bent down on a single knee to address the fiery reptile. "Hey there, Charmander. You're a strong one, aren't you?"
Tension gently eased out of the somewhat hostile lizard who nodded confidently at the claim.
"My name is Ash, and my lifelong dream has been to become a trainer. Today, Professor Oak is going to make that come true. He's going to give me my license, but before that, I need a starter."
Golden eyes met the cerulean pools of the Kanto starter, passionate determination coating every word the young Ketchum spoke.
"I've always dreamed of training a Charmander, but I'd never put my desires above your own. If we were to do this, then your dreams will become my own. We will be family. I can sense that you're special, and there's nothing I'd like more than to start my journey with you by my side, but if that's not what you want, I will not force you." Taking a deep and steady breath, Ash extended a gloved hand towards the orange reptile. "What do you say, Charmander? Will you be my partner?"
The fire type refused to blink as his azure gaze pierced into the soul of the teen. Inching forward, the fire type sniffed his hand, not breaking their impromptu staring contest. Softly kneading the soil with his clawed toes, Charmander shifted side to side, likely mimicking the back and forth banter occurring within its rounded head.
Having reached a decision, the abnormally large starter stepped into the space of the hopeful trainer-in-waiting and clasped a single short, clawed hand against Ash's own. An affirmative rumble soon followed.
Relief and delirious elation pumped through his veins as he leaped upwards. Ahh yeah! Indigo better be ready cause we're coming!"
"I wouldn't be so sure, Ash! Bulbasaur and I don't intend to just roll over and take that trophy!" Leaf chimed, holding the green bulb pokemon against her chest. "You'll have to get past us first!"
"And both of you are going to have to get past me. That trophy's ours, baby. Me and Squirtle'll send you guys a couple autographed pictures of us up on that podium, won't we buddy?" Crossing its short forelimbs, the water type smirked haughtily in smug agreement with the trainer.
"Now, now, children, let's settle down. I will not be having any battles inside my preserve," Oak reprimanded. "You'll find that I'm not quote done with you all yet."
Reaching deep in the pockets of his pristine lab coat, the professor withdrew three small rectangular boxes. "These here are a recent invention of mine. They are called Pokedexes, and they should contain everything you need to know about the pokemon you might come across." Removing a deep blue device, Sam began to fiddle with a few buttons.
"Now, if you press this center button here, it will scan whatever is in front of the lens. Should you scan a pokemon, which I suggest you do, it will tell you their species information and as well as both current and potential move sets, diet, training tips, and other such important information you may need to know. It can also scan berries and evolutionary stones, which I'm sure you won't need to do because I've taught you all this numerous times," he finished, flashing a pointed look at his sheepish grandson.
Grapping the device with his second hand, professor Oak unfolded the bisecting halves and revealed a decent sized screen on one half, and a sturdy keyboard on the other. "You can, of course, access the internet and search for whatever your heart desires, though I recommend you keep anything you don't want your aging teacher here to see, as they are linked to my lab's servers."
Ash cringed gently as his mentor let out a hearty chuckle
"Ugh, Gramps. That's gross"
"I thought I should warn you two lads, after all. I was young once too, you know, and was privy to many a beautiful lady."
"OKAY grandpa" Garry interrupted, snatching the blue computer from the professor's hand. "What else do these bad boys do?"
"Well, I've explained really the most important functions, but there are a few things that I've left to cover. I recently installed a camera right above the internal screen so that you can place videocalls, so long as you have the recipient's number. They should work both between pokedexes and from Pokedex to PC, but I have yet to see if they work with Hoenn's new PokeNav. I've programmed in an interactive map of Kanto, as well as hooked them up to your bank accounts. Simply waving it over the scanner should be all you need to do to complete your purchases. They serve as both your personal ID and your trainers license, so be sure not to lose them. They are waterproof for over 50 meters and should be able to withstand all wear you will inevitably put on them as you travel, but please, do be careful. They are hard to replace and take a while to set up, so you would likely have to stay here with me as we get you a new one."
Handing the two remaining boxes to Leaf and Ash, the two preceded to open the gifts.
"Ohh! Mines green! Just like you, Bulbi!" the brunette squealed, waving the pocket-sized device in front of her grass type. "Thank you, professor!"
Sliding the upper covering off his box, Ash removed a matte, midnight-black model. Huh. That's weird. Gary's is blue, like his Squirtle, and Leaf's is green, like Bulbasaur. Why the hell is mine black?
He was well aware of shiny pokemon, and how shiny Charizard adopted a similar charcoal like pigmentation, but his starter was obviously lacking the distinct golden scales of a shiny member of his species.
Charmander and his trainer both sent questioning glances at the professor, who approached the duo.
"I see you noticed what I did with the Dex's. I'm sure you're wondering why exactly yours is black, when your Charmander is certainly anything but?"
Rubbing his fingers along the edge of his newly acquired guide, Ash couldn't help but ask why it wasn't red.
Bending down to scratch the fire type's head, Oak answered. "I've been in this field for a long time, and have seen my fair share of Charmander, but I haven't seen one quite like this little guy."
Reaching under his head, Sam scratched the underside of the lizard's jaw, eliciting a pleasant coo in response. "I'm sure you noticed that he is quite large for his age, yes? Good. You always were the most observant of the bunch. Anyways, a typical Charmander has scales that are unmistakably orange. They're bright and vibrant. This little fellow's scales are much darker. They're almost like a bridge between the normal orange of a Charmander and a Charmeleon's deep red. This is particularly unusual, as this little guy isn't nearly developed enough to express signs of an upcoming evolution."
Standing up and turning towards the boy, Oak's eyes grew serious. "I have no problem letting you train him. Had it been Gary, or even Leaf, then I would have been more apprehensive, but I believe you have the drive to control him. I've seen you in the fields with Eldin. He tends to lash out at anyone but me. You're the only one other than me that he seems to like; however, I do have a couple requests, if you don't mind?"
"Of course, professor. Thank you."
"I want you to keep me informed of any potentially unusual developments that may surround your new partner, okay? I have a few theories as to what the cause for these abnormalities might be, but I need you to keep me in the loop. When you scan him with your Pokedex, you will notice a few moves that may seem out of order. I have tested them myself, and am aware of this, as well as whatever else you might find within the scan. Likely, you won't find anything I am not already aware of until he evolves. When this happens, I need you to phone me. There is no debating this matter. I might even need you to return to the ranch so that I can run a few tests. If these terms are acceptable, then I wish you two the best of what's to come."
Ash placed his hand on the back of his starter, preventing the curious lizard from wandering too far away or picking a fight with one of his friend's starters. They would do that later. "Anything you need me to do, Professor, I'll do it. Charmander's my family now, and I want to do the best by him. Thank you for trusting me with this."
"You're very welcome, my boy." Turning to address the rest of the group, he spoke "Alright, you three. I think I've held you here long enough. You are free to go. You've gone far beyond whatever I had expected of you, and I am confident that you will succeed in whatever path you'll walk, so go on out there and show everyone just what us Pallet trainers are made of, you here?"
Hiding his wavering voice behind the chuff of a clearing throat, he gestured to the door of his lab. "Now, Gary, I packed your things last night and left your bag on the couch inside, but I recommend you go through it again before you leave. I fear my memory isn't quite what it used to be, and it's possible I've left something out."
"Alright gramps. I'll get it in a sec." The auburn-haired teen turned to his assembled friends and smiled.
"I know we're all hyped up and ready to go, right? But here's the thing. It wouldn't be right for us to set out without seeing who just hit the starter lottery, okay? So, what I'm thinking is that in an hour or so, we meet at the edge of town and have our first battle. We'll rock-paper-scissors for it, and the winner chooses who they want to face. Does that sound good to you guys?"
Ash readily accepted. "Sounds great to me, Gary. How 'bout you, Leaf?"
"Count me in! I've been waiting to kick both your asses for years!"
Interrupting with an exasperated sigh, the professor interjected. "You all can worry about battling later. Leaf, I know your parents are going to want to see you off, so why don't you go and introduce them to your new friend?"
"Okay, professor. Thank you for everything, truly. I hope I'll make you proud one day."
"You already have, Leaf. It's been a pleasure watching you grow up."
With a tearful nod, Leaf took off in a slow jog, leading the waddling seed pokemon out of the ranch.
Watching her walk away with a soft smile, Samuel turned to his youngest student and put a strong hand on the youth's shoulder.
"Ash, there's one more request I have for you." His grey eyes were serious. "I need you to promise me that you will call you mother whenever you can. You are her rock, and it will be difficult for her here without you. Please, don't forget her."
"I could never, Professor. I'm not my father, and I never will be." Ash's voice was dark and strained, repressing the anger and hurt that bubbled like acid in his heart.
"I know, Ash. I wouldn't have given you Charmander if I thought otherwise. Go on, my boy. Go make her proud," he reassured, wrapping the boy in his arms.
A heartfelt embrace later, Ash turned to his new friend. "Come on, buddy. There's someone I'd like you to meet."
The walk through Pallet was peaceful. The local flocks of Pidgy had yet to stop chirping and a gentle sea breeze wafted through the air. Ash smiled brightly as he watched his first pokemon fumble around the gravel roads, sniffing the shrubs and berry trees that grew along the way. As he approached his house, the trainer paused, causing his partner to turn around and quirk his head questioningly.
"Hey, Charmander? I forgot to ask earlier, but do you want a nickname? You know, something special to call you that sets you apart from the rest of your species?"
Pondering the question, the fire type balled his tiny fingers into fists before releasing them, repeating the process.
A nervous tick? Gotta remember that.
"Char?" the lizard called, meandering over in front of his trainer. Tugging on the boy's pant leg, he nodded in confirmation.
"Alright awesome!" Pulling his matte-black dex from his rear pant pocket, he took a squat. "I'm just going to scan you with this thing really quick. It might help me come up with some ideas."
Let me see here… the professor said that it was the big button on the front, right? It's got to be this one...
[{Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon. Charmander's health can be gauged by the fire on the tip of its tail, which burns brightly when it's in good health. In battle, it attacks with sharp claws and fangs before spitting fire at opponents.}]
[{This Charmander is a male with the ability Blaze, and knows the following moves: Ember, Scratch, Smokescreen, Bite, Dragon Rush, and Dragon Rage.}]
Stunned, the raven haired had to take a seat on the path or risk falling over. Having found himself at a loss of words, he managed a breathless compliment. "Wow. Dragon Rush and Dragon Rage? Already? That's… incredible! You're quite something, aren't you bud?"
"Chaaa!" he cooed, placing his clawed hands on the trainers outstretched leg, leaning into him.
"Okay, buddy, let's see here. How about Cinder? Or maybe Ignis?"
Charmander shook his head vehemently, crawling into the trainer's lap.
I'll take that as a no, then.
"Vulcan?"
Another shake.
"Ares?"
The lizard spat a plume of smoke in Ash's face. He coughed.
Ugh. Maybe something not having to do with fire? He knows two dragon moves already, so maybe he'll like something more draconic?
Scratching the top of the fire types head, he tried again. "How about Balerion, after the ancient King of Kanto's legendary dragonite?"
The cuddling lizard once again denied the moniker, though he seemed far less opposed to the idea.
Finally. He mentally sighed, wiping a thin layer of soot from his brow. Annoying the pokemon further seemed to be hazardous to his health. Think, Ash. Drogon? Nah. That's just one vowel away from 'dragon.' Smaug? That doesn't flow well. What about…
"Rhaegal."
Charmander opened his azure eyes and stood, turning to face his trainer. "Cha!" Flaring the tip of his tail, he puffed up his chest.
"Alright! Rhaegal it is!" Ash's grin stretched from ear to ear. Rhaegal was the name of one of the three dragon princes, sired by a great queen from a far away land. His mother used to tell him the story on nights where he couldn't sleep.
"Come on then, Rhaegal. Let's go meet my mom. I promise she'll love you."
Knocking briefly, Ash held the screen door for his starter and called for his mom.
"Ashey? I'm in the back, honey," her serene voice called. "Come on out and introduce me to your new friend, won't you?"
"Yeah ma, I'm coming," he replied. "Hey buddy, could you watch your tail? She'll kill me if I singe her rug."
Sheepishly grabbing hold of the flaming appendage, Rhaegal nodded before waddling after his trainer, tail clasped in front of him.
The backyard was beautiful. Delia was a fantastic gardener, specializing in growing berries to sell or use in her restaurant. Tall bushes sprouting the spring fruits lined the white picket fences.
Ash spent much of his childhood studying and reading in their shade. Their pleasant aroma brought back many happy memories with his mother.
"Mom, this here is my partner, Rhaegal. He's my starter. Rhaegal, this is my mother. Go on, she's the nicest person you'll ever meet," he encouraged, giving the fire type a small push forward.
"Rhaegal? Like in the story?" She questioned, pulling off her gloves and turning to greet her son's new friend. "Oh! A Charmander! I thought that Sam said he couldn't find one?" she questioned, falling to her knees and welcoming the little fire type.
The lizard practically melted in his Delia's experienced hands as she scratched his scaly body. "Aren't you just the handsomest thing? Oh my! And so strong too! Ashey's lucky to have you, isn't that right, little prince? That's what you are, oh yes you are!"
Watching his mother coddle and coo at his new partner, Ash sweat dropped. I think my mother might have just stolen my starter. There's no way he's going to want to leave now!
"Err… Mom? Leaf and Gary are waiting for me on Route 1, and I don't think Gary's going to let me off easy if I show up with a love-struck Charmander…"
"Hmm? Oh, of course, you're leaving today…" She muttered, standing slowly.
He wrapped her in a tight hug. "Yeah, ma. I'll miss you."
"Son, I'll miss you so much! What will I do without you around?"
Ash wiped a few falling tears from her eyes. "I'll be back mom. I promise, but I've got to go kick my father's ass first."
He was awarded with a broken chuckle. "Oh Ash. I know you will. I need you to have fun out there, too. Maybe meet a girl or two? Leaf's grown to be quite the catch, hmm? Maybe you'll run into Daisy too. She's pretty, and Sam say's she's doing quite well for herself, you know."
He blushed at the mention of Leaf, before rearing back in disgust. "Eww! Gary's sister? Mom! No! That's just… ew."
"Okay, honey, but I'm not getting any younger, you know! I don't want to be all wrinkly and grey by the time I have my grandbabies."
"Ugh. MOOOOM!"
"Oh fine," She huffed, sniffling. "Come on inside, honey. I have something for you."
Walking through the house, the auburn-haired beauty reached the downstairs hall closet.
"Now, I know you said that you didn't want me to get you anything, but I promise I've had this for a while," she explained, removing a very heavy looking blanket out from behind the door and handing it to her son.
"This is a fireproof blanket. Your father used to lay these on the floor or bet so that Magey could sleep outside his pokeball at night. I would have bought you a new one, but after Samuel said he couldn't find you a Charmander, I thought you might not need one."
Ash was speechless. There were very few things in his house that belonged to his father. His mother said that they would make her sad, so when he was little, he would 'accidently' break or spill on them so she had a reason to throw them out.
"Mom. I- I don't… thank you. This is great. I really appreciate it."
Wiping a stray tear that crossed ger cheek, she forced a smile. "Of course, honey. Now you have everything packed, yes?"
At his affirmative nod, she continued.
Good boy. Now, take these"
She said, handing him a small bag of yellow and blue berries. "These are Passho berries, I think you'll find that Charmander are quite fond of them. You remember what kind of berries fire types like?"
"Spicy and biter ones, right?"
"Mhmm. Now, here's your bag. I went through it and put a few special things in there for you."
Hoisting the bag on his back, Ash had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.
I should have known mom would go so overboard.
The three approached the front door when Delia wrapped her son in a bone crushing hug.
"I love you so much. I'll miss you, so you better call whenever you can. I know Sam put video cameras in that fancy Pokedex of yours, so no excuses."
"I will."
"Stay safe. It's dangerous out there, especially with Team Rocket prowling about the place."
Releasing her son and turning to Rhaegal, she continued. "I need you to protect my son, little prince. He's everything I have. He's my family, and you are too. Keep him safe, okay?"
The fire type nodded seriously, flaring his tail once more in confirmation.
"I also need you to make sure he changes his underwear. There was this one time when he was young where-"
"OKAY mom! I think we all understand!" the teen interjected; face flushed in embarrassment. Come on, mom. Not in front of my starter.
The lizard hissed in laughter.
Arceus dammit. Now even my partner will make fun of me.
Looking at the afternoon sun, Delia frowned. "You guy's better go if you want to make it to Veridian by nightfall. I love you, son. Stay safe. Promise me?"
Ash choked back a few tears. Come on, Ketchum. Suck it up.
"I promise, mom. I love you too. I'll call you as soon as we get to the Center."
Walking out the door and down the dirt path, Ash patted his starter on the head. "Let's go, Rhaegal. Let's go be the very best, like no one ever was."