Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.

Rated: [T] However, this story will be rated [M] in future chapters for adult situations, violence, and more.

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Chapter 1: Serendipity

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Petalburg Gym: Official Arena [5:08 AM]

"Phew! That's some kick you have there, kid…" Norman wiped the blood off his swollen lip and prepared to attack again. His opponent sent him a confident smirk in response.

"Looks like they're underestimating us again, Slaking. Let's remind them why we're a force to be reckoned with." The navy-haired man launched himself at his target and shouted a command to his partner. "Make this the final blow! Slaking, use Hammer Arm!" The bulky Pokémon's fist glowed white as it matched its trainer's speed.

The challenger looked at Norman calmly and nodded to his own Pokémon, sending a wordless order to counter Slaking's overbearing assault. The wolf-like creature dug its claws into the ground, ready to execute a plan of attack.

Norman and his Slaking had a few more feet till they could confront their respective targets. Just as they reached past a certain point, the young boy made a twirling motion with his index finger. The Petalburg gym leader stopped in his tracks, knowing what the signal meant. "Slaking, break off the attack!"

However, his words came too late as a violent wind came in from nowhere, causing the dust on the battlegrounds to create an obstructive veil of dirt all around them. The ape-like Pokémon fell on its bottom, caught off guard from the current of air and sudden direction to retreat.

"Defend yourself; they can come from any direction!" Norman yelled as he tried to stay aware of their surroundings. "…Where are you two?" As if on cue to answer his question, a large hole appeared in the dust wall and spat out a human projectile shielded by dark-purple energy, racing towards him an inch above ground.

"What in the hell?!" He had no time to evade as his adversary collided into him at full body force.

Not too far away, Slaking panicked and pulled itself up to help Norman recover, but suffered a similar end. From the same tear in the whirlwind charged a golden hued Pokémon. It erupted in a burst of strength and impacted the preoccupied Slaking with the sickle-shaped growth on its head.

Norman watched the whole exchange, a twitching eyebrow and saddened face defining his opinion of the combined attack. He was sprawled on the hard surface, wondering how his nine-year old son had outsmarted him. "Mind getting off my stomach now, Ash?" he asked in a pitiful voice.

The messy-haired boy let out his characteristic mute laugh and stood up. He extended his hand as a show of good sportsmanship, an action Norman had drilled into his head ever since they started training together. A humble opponent was the best opponent.

Norman grabbed Ash's hand. "Good job! That makes it…" He thought aloud for a few seconds. "…forty-nine to seventy-eight. The seventy-eight being me, of course!" He promptly ruffled his son's hair, much to Ash's chagrin.

"Ab!" A Pokémon with feline characteristics ran up to them and rubbed its side affectionately on the young boy's faded jeans. He ran his hand over its brilliant white fur and scratched under the chin to show appreciation for a battle well fought. His dark-blue vest was slightly torn, with the black t-shirt underneath wrinkled from their early morning routine.

"Looks like you're happy, eh Sora?" The navy-haired man commented as he returned Slaking to its pokeball for some well-deserved rest and a visit to the pokecenter. "Don't let your ego get too bloated, girl. You two had it easy this time, because I obviously didn't go all out!" he explained dramatically, striking a heroic pose that made him look silly.

Ash and his Absol rolled their eyes in unison, even though they knew Norman wasn't completely lying.

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Petalburg Gym: Maple Residence – Dining Area [6:40 AM]

"Stop challenging your children to arm wrestling matches at the table, Norman!" Caroline demanded while flipping over another egg for breakfast. "You seem like more of a kid than both of them combined. I swear…"

"I beg to differ, honey. Adult's don't cheat in official matches, do they?" The Petalburg gym leader shoveled a considerable amount of scrambled eggs into his mouth, glaring at his son accusingly.

May giggled as she watched the two males of the household trade fierce expressions. Auburn hair cascaded down the sides of her bandanna covered head and her cerulean blue eyes glimmered in the morning shine. "How did Ash cheat this time, dad?" she asked between spoonfuls of cinnamon oatmeal.

Norman slammed the table with a solid hand. "I'm glad SOMEONE cares to hear my side of the story."

With a deep sigh, Caroline continued cooking. "Why do you encourage your father, May?"

The fuming man ignored his wife's disinterest on the subject and addressed his daughter. "You see, we had our normal morning training, like every other day. But this time, this boy chose to bend the rules to his favor." He lifted his hands to the air. "And he had the gall to not even admit to it after I brought it to his attention, having reflected on the battle twice over the past hour!"

Ash whipped out a thick leather-bound book that he used to write and communicate to others on a common basis. He withdrew a pen from his vest pocket and jotted fervently onto the paper before pushing it over for his sister to read.

The young brunette winked at him as she took it. "All right…" Her eyes scanned the words, each letter was put down with near-flawless penmanship. "Ash says that if you consider his use of the environment to win a cheating tactic, you'd better rethink the two years of lessons you've provided him." She looked up at her father, almost losing herself to another fit of chuckles from his tomato-red face.

"No!"

Ash raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, no way." The navy-haired man crossed his arms defiantly. "I accept the way you recycled that old method of yours, telling Sora to use a partial Razor Wind to create a temporary whirlwind to distract me, and was also impressed by her use of Superpower to knockout Slaking. But, I do not agree to how you tricked us by throwing dirt onto our battlegrounds before I even arrived. That's dirty!"

"There's more on here," May stated while reading the page. "He says it wasn't his fault you didn't pay attention. The day before, you had a Gym Battle with a trainer who specialized in ground-type Pokémon. The dirt came from that fight, and he told Kenny that he would take care of the clean up later that night…"

In a futile attempt to stifle her amusement, the young girl pushed her face into her brother's chest and cracked up loudly. The dark-haired boy released his own mute laughter. Even Caroline couldn't help but snicker at the clever use of preparation. The fact stood, Norman of Petalburg City was defeated by a child's simple lie.

"Argh!" Norman scratched his head irritably. "I'll let you off this time, Ash. But tomorrow, you're in for a beating."

"Norman!" Caroline tapped his head with her spatula. "No vendettas, especially at the breakfast table."

"Fine, fine…" The navy-haired man slumped into his seat when out of the corner of his eye he saw a particular person tip-toeing away. "Kenny, get over here! Arm wrestle, right now!" he called out zealously, wanting to get some form of revenge. He grabbed his head tenderly as agonizing pain registered in.

"Norman, what did I say? One more time and you'll be wrestling the cushions on the couch tonight."

"Yes, honey…" he answered obediently, frowning at the two children having a grand time at his expense.

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Pokémon Academy: Room 8 [7:29 AM]

They were never late. The Maple children were known for being the earliest to any occasion or mandatory event, and today was no different. The two siblings went to their individual seats, waiting in comfortable peace for their teacher and soon-to-be-arriving classmates.

May watched happily as her petite Eevee weaved around the legs of Ash's confused Absol in the classroom. Eevee loved teasing the poor creature with its seemingly infinite supply of stamina. She allowed her cerulean blue eyes to settle on the young boy next to the window, who arguably acted and looked older than the entire male populace of the academy. Familiar feelings of sadness resurfaced as she studied his emotionless facade.

She disliked this place for many reasons. Sure, she had friends and enjoyed learning about different aspects of the Pokémon world, but she couldn't interact with Ash, her best friend and secret crush. Of course, it didn't help that he would continually shun her away to make sure no one suspected them of being on good terms. He cared for her too much to see his peers give her the same treatment he received on a daily basis.

Surprisingly, Ash was somewhat an idol to the students of Petalburg Pokémon Academy for his mental and physical prowess, which was displayed throughout the normal school day. What really dragged him down socially was the fact that he was mute and caused people to have migraines and delusional events while in his presence, an effect the Maple family hadn't been subject to at all, mysteriously enough. Her parents tried seeking help from various categories of doctors, but after months of finding no results or solutions, they gave up and hoped the occurrences would stop in time.

However, the damage had already been dealt. Therefore, from the past three years of misfortunate cases linked to him, her little brother was classified as a "freak" and her family as "martyrs" for harboring such an unlucky child. If they were seen together publicly, the school body would reject her out of spite and fear of the possible side effects of being around him.

May slipped out of her trance as she saw Ash walk over to his female Absol and gave her a few distinctive gestures, signaling that lessons would start soon and it was time for her to leave. He slid the panel door open and let her rush past to do whatever she pleased till classes were over.

"You too, Eevee. Can't have you distracting everyone with your hyperactive tendencies," May explained and returned her overly excited Pokémon to its pokeball. She looked over at the young prodigy who was standing statuesque at the room entrance.

"Are you okay, Ash? You've looked pale ever since you got done training with dad this morning." The concerned brunette laid a hand on his stiff shoulder, causing him to frantically examine the vicinity for onlookers. He shrugged her hand off quickly.

"Stop brushing me aside, we're alone. No one will be here till about fifteen minutes before homeroom."

The young boy readjusted his official Pokémon league hat and turned to face her. His eyes were deep and had the ability to make it feel like they were piercing a person's soul. It was a quality that she found alluring, just like many other girls in the academy. The pair of golden brown irises were usually obscured by his hat, an item he religiously wore. He gave her a reassuring smile, one she had come to know and love.

She closed the distance and embraced the bewildered boy, holding him tight enough that he couldn't escape without using force. "You're always looking out for me, so don't expect me to not do the same. I may go along with your suggestion to stay away from you when the others are nearby, but I'll always be your big sister." She felt his arms loosely wrap around her comfortably.

"Oh no, I forgot my backpack! Ugh…" a muffled feminine voice complained from the other side of the slide-panel door near them.

Ash hastily left May's warm squeeze, ruining the moment. "Wait, Ash!" the brunette whispered harshly, getting his attention. "Remember; if you're feeling ill go to the nurse. I won't be able to handle mom if you keel off during school." Receiving a nod of affirmation from him she sat in her seat satisfied.

The door finally slid open, revealing an attractive young girl with a snow-white cap covering a head of long cobalt blue hair. Her attire was a mix of black and pink, with the skirt being a tad too short in May's opinion. She scoped the room, seeing only two other children her age. "I guess I'm early!" she stated cheerfully before walking over to the closest person and introducing herself. "I'm Dawn, an aspiring Coordinator Master. Nice to meet you!"

May took the newcomer's friendly hand and returned the welcoming. "My name's May, also a Coordinator hopeful." She caught Ash staring at the girl's legs and sent him a look that made him shiver and return to observing the climate outside.

"Great, we can trade tips sometime. I've always wanted a partner for double's coordination," Dawn offered. She saw the brunette send a death-glare over to a location behind her. The target was a tan-skinned boy who promptly shifted in his seat to gaze out the window. "Who's that?" she asked curiously.

"That's my-" May was cut off as the door slid open again, giving way to a bustle of students and an elderly, bespectacled man wearing a tacky purple suit.

Dawn hurriedly left to greet the authoritative figure.

"Simmer down, infantile scholars! We've got a new addition to our roster. Welcome Dawn Berlitz, class," the teacher announced as the novice trainers took their assigned seats.

A chorus of salutations filled the air, making the girl flash a smile that made the boys drool and the girls jealous. May's already low self-esteem would have been given a slight dent, but stayed solid as she noticed Ash staring at her from the reflection of the window, wearing a slight smirk. She knew what he was doing, gauging her reaction like he usually did to see who she was partial of and who she loathed. Instead of allowing him to analyze, she stuck her tongue out mockingly.

"Go ahead and take an open seat. As it's only the beginning of the semester, we will be reviewing the basics of type advantages in battle." The aged man opened up his teacher's manual and began writing on the blackboard.

Dawn scanned the class again, noticing how every desk near the messy-haired, hat wearing boy was empty. Maybe he was a troublemaker or had some kind of disease… Seeing that there was no other available option, she took the seat in front of him and settled down.

"And there you are pupils, the basics of the basics. If you have not memorized this simple chart then I advise you consider returning to the first year of this academy, with all the six-year olds and bed-wetter's," the old man snickered through his long beard. "Now, please open your books to page fifty-one, titled, 'Skill Training and Experience Gaining'."

Dawn turned in her seat to speak with the stranger behind her. "Mind if we share? I forgot my stuff at home." She was surprised to see that he already had the book in his extended hand, along with a few sheets of paper and a mechanical pencil on top of the cover. He tapped the paper with his finger, signaling her to read what was on it.

"I don't need to take notes or use the book. I'm all caught up?" she read in a hushed tone.

Ash nodded, his eyes hidden from view due to the bill of his hat, and resumed to stare out the framed glass.

The cap-wearing girl took the material while the teacher's back was towards them and muttered appreciatively, "Thanks."

'You're welcome.'

Dawn almost fell out of her chair when she heard a captivating voice penetrate her mind. She looked at the tanned boy suspiciously, whose face was as detached as before.

"Ahem! Is there something wrong, Miss Berlitz?" a raspy tone broke her concentration. It was then that she noticed everyone's attention was on her.

"N-nothing, Mr. Webber. Just lost my balance is all," she explained with a nervous laugh at the end of her sentence.

"I would recommend you stare more at the text then, instead of the young man behind you. Otherwise, you might slip into some first day homework."

Dawn's cheeks flushed in embarrassment, hearing her classmates snigger. "Yes, sir. It won't happen again…"

"Good. Now, starting from this paragraph," the old instructor continued the lesson.

Several seats away, a young brunette could be seen glaring over at the class's new arrival with genuine dislike. The cobalt-haired girl sat unaware, peeking at Ash timidly while copying down their teacher's words.

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Pokémon Academy: Room 8 [12:15 PM]

"It is now lunch time, please report to your appropriate classrooms before the forty-minute break is finished," a monotone voice from the speakers overhead declared.

"Feh…" Dawn could feel her stomach rumble in agitation. She never even thought about lunch. And, being new, she didn't feel comfortable enough to leech off any of her fellow peers. She patted her tummy in vain.

'What a klutzy girl, forgetting all the essentials for her first day of school. Hopefully she doesn't mind eating melon bread.'

A soft thud resounded on the desk in front of the aspiring Coordinator Master, who looked surprised at the plastic wrapped food as if it fell from the heavens. In truth, she was startled to hear the clairvoyant thoughts of the mysterious boy yet again. "Thanks so much! Why don't we share-," she stopped mid-sentence as she noticed he was already past the class door, leaving elsewhere.

May immediately shot up from her seat to chase after Ash.

"What's up, Maple? Are you dieting, too?" her bubbly friend asked.

The young brunette scratched the back of her head. "Nah, I just remembered that I had to go to the office to talk to one of our teachers. I need some help training my Eevee." She didn't wait for a response and sped after her little brother, knowing the spot he usually went to eat in solitude.

"I'm not giving up…" Dawn whispered, ignoring the offers of eating lunch with her peers in favor of talking to a certain male student. She stalked May, knowing their goals were similar; she just had the advantage of reading her thoughts.

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Pokémon Academy: Rooftop [12:23 PM]

Ash stared at the distant clouds drifting across the sky, a pastime that he never got tired of. His body was laid out on a wooden bench, legs crossed and arms underneath his head for a makeshift pillow.

"Ash Maple, get up right now!" May commanded as she stormed into his favorite spot, closing the metal door behind her harshly.

For some reason, he knew this was going to happen. Maybe it was from three years of studying her behavior, or simply man's intuition. He took out his pen and leather book he had used earlier that morning to humiliate Norman.

May sat on the bench while he submitted to her will and positioned himself on the hard ground, with his back facing her. She did this for two reasons, to gain leverage over him and so she could easily read what he was writing instead of snatching his book when needed.

'Are you okay?'

The young brunette visibly relaxed, cooling down her head and keeping her repressed feelings for her little brother in check. "Now I am." It was at these times that she was reminded how much smarter and mature he was compared to her. She took his hat off and set it aside.

Ash leaned back, letting his head fall back in-between May's thighs. 'So, what's wrong? If you need money for lunch I have some in my backpack. But, if it's a bully, well…I can take care of that, too.'

"No, idiot." May bopped his head playfully. "It's that new girl, Dawn. You shouldn't be so nice to her."

She blushed at how close he was to hitting her crotch. He may only be nine, but with the personality of what her mother described as an adult scholar and the body of a disciplined martial artist, due to her father's influence, she couldn't help have her mind wander. Her eleventh birthday was coming soon, and ever since awakening to certain subjects of preteen life, feelings that she could now recognize kept resurfacing in his company.

Ash shook his head, tickling the girl through her spandex shorts with his untamed hair and causing her to redden further from where the sensation came. He insistently tapped the paper. 'Daydreaming, again... How about telling me why I shouldn't be kind to her?'

"R-right! Don't you remember? If you befriend her you'll eventually cause her to have those unexplainable migraines and also be blocking her chances at making any other friends at all," May reminded him gently. The atmosphere became downcast.

'You're right. I completely forgot all about it when she addressed me like a normal kid. It's just been awhile since I interacted with someone other than you and our parents, you know?' Ash slightly turned to give her a genuine smile, which didn't soften the impact of the harsh truth of it.

May stood up and lent a caring hand to Ash. "Come on, lunch is almost over. I forgot my lunch in the classroom. Hopefully I'll have enough energy for P.E. Mom did tell me not to watch those horror movies before going to bed," she reprimanded herself casually.

The young prodigy released a silent chuckle then wrote in his book. 'Let me help you. I have this technique I use on Sora whenever she's exhausted after a battle.'

"Alright, if it's okay," she responded, feeling the fatigue from staying up late the other night.

Ash surprised the brunette when he pressed his body firmly into hers and held her head so that their noses were touching. She felt a wave of euphoria hit her whole body almost instantly.

After two minutes he separated himself and grinned proudly.

"That was amazing, Ash!" May's eyes were wide from feeling absolutely regenerated, though she felt like melting in embarrassment as well.

'Anytime.' The tanned boy closed his leather-bound book and retrieved his hat from the bench, adjusting it his original style.

"We should probably get going to our next class. You leave first, I'll be fine," she said, readjusting her clothes. The truth was she felt shaky from having been mashed against the young prodigy's form.

He nodded in a soldier-like manner and advanced to the heavy door. Before his hand turned the handle he fell into unconsciousness, smacking the floor and alerting May.

"Ash!" The brunette ran over to his unresponsive body and shook him. "Wh-what should I do?!"

"I'll take care of him; you go ahead and get to the next class to avoid suspicion!" The door suddenly flew open, showing a distress ridden Dawn. "Don't worry, I can get him to the nurse's office."

May was confused by the girl's sudden appearance. "What-"

"Unlike you, I don't care about what I have to go through to be Ash's friend or what happens if I'm seen with him," the cobalt-haired coordinator hissed. She tried picking his lithe torso up, but found that he was taller and slightly heavier than her, making it difficult to carry him.

May slapped her face and made a decision that she knew would have huge repercussions. "I'll help too. I'm not going to abandon my little brother when he needs me most." She felt the painful irony behind her statement, having sacrificed a significant portion of her relationship with him in order to be friends with people who treated him as a freak of nature.

The two girls heaved Ash's body and carefully ran to their destination, all while receiving confused looks down the hallways.

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Pokémon Academy: Nurse's Office [3:50 PM]

Dawn swept a stray hair from Ash's forehead as he lay on the bed, breathing peacefully in the sterile environment.

The nurse had examined him and determined that he overexerted himself to the point of fainting. May lied and told the older woman that Ash was running laps around the campus field without rest, training for the upcoming Petalburg Marathon. From there, both of them pleaded to stay at his side, to which she reluctantly agreed and contacted their parents.

Her azure eyes studied every feature of the misunderstood boy in front of her. In two hours time she had probed his mind, witnessing a diminutive amount of his most intimate life experiences and learning a great deal about his personality to the point where she had become infatuated with him. It was like she had spent the past couple of years at his side.

What surprised the young female most was the way his rigid mental barriers fell when she made contact, welcoming her to observe the shallow layers of his psyche. However, the impenetrable defenses came back up when she struggled to delve deeper into his subconscious, letting her know there was a limit to what he would be open about. She had only scratched the surface of Ash's complex background.

It turned out the headaches people suffered from being around him were a result of his unrestrained psychic abilities. He was unable to decently channel the planes of thought coursing through his mind, causing him to release waves of incomprehensible telepathic messages into the heads of people close to his vicinity. The whole concept would have been foreign to her if not for her mother who had taught her at a very young age on how to use her acquired powers.

"…do it one more time…" May reached over from her haphazard position to hug the sleeping boy. Dawn shoved a pillow into her arms instead. "…so good," she muttered in her sleep, a trail of saliva making its way down her chin.

The cobalt-haired girl returned to her musings, running a hand through Ash's soft dark hair. From what little information she was able to extract, she knew he was a weapon intended for battle on two fronts...but he looked nothing like one. After reviewing the memories shown to her, she felt the need to protect him. However, she couldn't fully understand all her new found feelings, being young and inexperienced. She would have to divulge a bit of her story to her mother and ask for advice.

Golden brown eyes opened coolly, taking in the situation. 'Where am I?' Ash asked himself groggily.

"You're in the nurse's office, Ash." Dawn replied sweetly, moving her face close to his.

The young boy's characteristic calm was lost when the pretty, cobalt-haired transfer student answered a question he knew he didn't say aloud. He was mute. 'How did you hear my thought? Are you with Team Rocket? Is-,' his mind went blank when she gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, twice.

"To sum everything up, I'd like it if you considered me your ally and..." she sat on the edge of his bed, staring at him mischievously. "…your first and only girlfriend." She giggled attractively at his expression and the color of his face.

'What?!' Ash Maple, the potential Aura Guardian and future anti-Team Rocket one-man-army, fainted on the spot from sheer confusion and pleasure overload.

Dawn felt an abnormal heat flare from her side.

"Like hell you are!" May exclaimed wrathfully before tackling her rival off the bed.

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Pokémon Academy: Nurse's Office [4:32 PM]

Norman, Caroline, and a woman with characteristics similar to Dawn pulled the magnolia white curtains away, revealing three young children. One resting peacefully, sporting a goofy grin on his face, and two girls snoring on the visitors couch looking equally spent from quarreling.

"I can't believe Ash did something so stupid. Infusing a Pokémon with his aura is way different than doing it to a human. I was hoping you were wrong about that little detail at least, Johanna. Guess you authentic psychics know your stuff," the navy-haired man commented as he approached his son's bedside.

Johanna folded up her nurse disguise and laid it on the lap of her cap-wearing daughter. "Nothing is ever truly clear when a predictive vision comes; I was just willing to bet my money on these batches of occurrences. They only happen once in a lifetime, after all."

"I'm just glad it happened today. Norman and I were growing concerned about Ash having no friends because of his problem. Now we know what it is and he's gained a new acquaintance." Caroline took May's bandanna off and used it to wipe some scratches on the girl's face.

"You mean girlfriend," corrected the blue-haired woman.

"No, I mean acquaintance. Your brash, hormone enraged girl won't be laying a hand on him. Aren't you going to be helping him?" Small sparks of fire appeared in Caroline's eyes.

Norman took safety next to Ash's bed.

"What do you mean? Wasn't it your girl who was pushing Ash's face into her private? Maybe you should restrain your own child before she jumps the poor boy in his shower." Ice shards formed in Johanna's irises.

"Wait, you two spied on them?" the gym leader's question fell on deaf ears.

"She was imitating a position me and Norman use at home. When he's reading an interesting book I let him sit down on the ground and lean his head back against me." The mahogany-haired woman put her hands on her hips.

"It should be the woman leaning on the man, not the other way around. When did Norman let you buy a leash and whip? If he was with me, he wouldn't have to bend down so often," Johanna retorted, sending a flirtatious grin over to the nervous man.

Caroline tightened her fists, teeth grinding against each other. "Do I have to remind you who exactly won him over?"

"H-hey! I chose who to marry by myself, no one 'won' me over," the navy-haired man interrupted them apprehensively.

"Shut up, Norman!" both women shouted in accord before continuing their verbal battle.

Norman looked at his inactive son and sagely whispered," You won't be able to escape 'their' grasp, boy. There is no mercy when it comes to love."

-

[Author's Note]

Ah, writing this made me reminisce about my first kiss. At 10, so innocent yet biased from commercial media. Good times. Of course, I went on to date that girl for about eight years, so my attraction wasn't purely physical or anything. Anyway, hopefully you enjoyed this mediocre introductory chapter. I hate writing from the perspective of a child, so I made them seem more mature but still confused and puerile. As for the character personalities, I hope you didn't expect them to be totally on par with the series. From what I remembered, May was somewhat uneady at the beginning of her arc and less confident compared to Dawn. So I concluded with making May is a bit insecure while Dawn is self-assured, with the brunette being motivated by the bluenette's aggressive actions towards Ash. At least, that's what I'm attemtping to convey.

Twists? I don't think I've added too many. For me, the plot seems very predictable, but maybe that's because I'm writing it. Troubled boy knows caring girl, new girl comes in and likes troubled boy, parents are acquainted, such and such... It's a lot of fast paced relation building, but hopefully translates well over the course of the story with the help of each character's unique personality. As for the fights, I'll try and do better with the upcoming chapters. This is actually only the third time I've written one, so I'm pretty much a novice. Go easy on me. Oh, and if you know a good site or two for me to post this story and publicize it, please message me or provide the information in your review.

I'm still considering who the third girl should be for the harem. So far I saw Erika (maybe a visit to Petalburg Gym's greenhouse?) and Misty (future meeting as Ash journey's Kanto to eliminate Team Rocket?), then Cynthia as a supporting character. Any further opinions are appreciated.

On another note, I feel like the quality of writing declined in this chapter. I kind of pushed myself, not wanting to keep everyone waiting. Therefore, my mind is burnt out even when using the aid of a thesaurus or dictionary. Words like; with, this, and the kept reoccurring during my typing. Then there's using the appropriate tenses, which I hope weren't absurdly bastardized in this chapter... Playing some Sonic The Hedgehog 3 will probably help me regain some composure (favorite game of all time). Of course, a nice BETA is always cool, too.

For anyone that is curious...

Prologue: Ash (5), May (6)

Chapter 1: Ash (9), May (10), Dawn (10)

Chapter 2: Ash (12), May (13), Dawn (13)

Chapter 3: Ash (16), May (17), Dawn (17)

Ash is the youngest by a year and a half, while Dawn is the second youngest and May slightly older by a month or two. That's how I want it to be. The story will pick up on Chapter 3, with 1 and 2 being the basic 'Hero in Development' part of the story.

PS- Thank you for the kind and helpful reviews, they are a huge motivative factor for me and placeholder of my own judgement on what to do with the plot as it goes on. I just wish more readers would follow suite and submit an appropriate sentence or two to give me an idea if the story is worth progressing or modifying for the sake of sanity. Once I hit Chapter 3, I'll release the mini-bio's of the major and side characters, which detail their pokemon and appointed titles.

Incognito: There's quite a few aura mechanics I'm working with in this story, especially concerning an idea I had about when Pokemon can be considered vulnerable to dangerous attacks. It goes along the lines of every pokemon having a protective aura barrier, which you can think of as the HP bar. When it reaches '0' the pokemon is in a 'dire' state, where moves like bullet seed or metal claw actually scrape their skin and harm them severely. Stuff like that and so on. I'll also be keeping the abilities included in Bulbapedia's entry on 'Aura'. Hope they meet your expectations when they appear in the story.

Syed/Night: The sex part of the story will be normal and not overly fetish involved, so you won't have to worry. I want there to be meaning and actualy affection behind the physical relationships Ash has with the females of the story.

lpride: You know it. I want the violence to be on a much higher level while still maintaing the 'fantasy' feel. Moves will be able to potentially kill, meaning I'll be changing their descriptions accordingly.

As always, please read and review!