Okay, I'll make this quick. Originally, this was the Deathmans Dragon, but it didn't fit in the guidelines of back in the old days. So I cut it up and made the version some of you might be familiar with. When I decided it was time to take back this story, I made the decision to let it be the way it was supposed to. Except for a few things. Now, excluding a few points here and there, it is a completely different story than DD. I hope you enjoy this monster of a story, because I know I did. See you at the end!
Ash grumbled to himself as he forced himself up. He had slept really badly, tossing and turning for most of the night. It had been a habit, one that he hated, but was always unable to break. Still, after spending the better part of two years functioning with minimal sleep, he was fairly adjusted to it. Normally, he would have let himself rest a little longer, but today was a big day, the biggest one in his eleven-year long life. It was the day he was going to get his starter.
Today, a Squirtle, a Bulbasaur, and a Charmander, all children of the strongest of their lines in Kanto, would be leaving Pallet Town. Today, the first stage of the three Kanto Titans would be released into the wild, becoming whatever their trainer helped them. Today, their legacy, their stories as trainers, would be started.
While this would have been a huge deal, it was made even bigger by the fact that Professor Oak only had three of the traditional Kanto starters. There were five of them, including himself, that were supposed to set out today. That meant two of them wouldn't be able to have the normal trainer experience.
No one had expected all five of them to be able to leave at the same time, in fact, if it went the same as every other year, it would only be the top three of Professor Oak's students that were able to activate their trainer licenses. Which meant that, normally, Gary Oak, Ash Ketchum, and Neil Presley would be the three leaving to try their hand at the Indigo League Championship. After all, Ash and Gary were the two who regularly switched between first place in their class, while Neil hadn't lost to the other two in months.
Yet somehow, Lotus-Azalea Gardner and Leroy Chapman were joining the top three. How it had happened was anyone's guess, though Ash had a feeling he knew. There had been rumors, after all, about how Lotus- Azalea was the cousin of the Celadon City Gym Leader, Erika. Most people ignored them, saying it couldn't possibly be true, but not Ash. No, he was almost positive that it, indeed, was more than just possibly true. It would make sense, but no one in her family ever confirmed it. Indeed, they just ignored it, as if they hadn't heard the rumors in the first place.
Whatever the reason, there were five of them, the first Pallet Town Quintet in over a decade. He didn't think it had anything to do with them separately, even though they were all expected to be talented in whatever they chose to do. In fact, he knew that it didn't have anything to do with him, but with the group as a whole.
He could fully admit that his strengths weren't the same ones that the others had. His strengths covered their weaknesses, while theirs covered his. As a group, they were well rounded, even if they didn't get along, they could work together.
As a trainer, Ash was well prepared on being a specialist. He was the only one of them who had decided his path years ago. Whether it would be dragons, his public favorite type, or dark types, he would gain a mastery over the type. He had spent the better part of the last two years diving into the research about the Four Realities, for his love of dark types, and physical limits of different species, for his future dragons.
He wasn't ignorant to the fact that most likely, he would have at least a few of the type he didn't choose to specialize in. He couldn't help his adoration of dark types, the forbidden types supposedly native to the Abyss, one of the Four Realities than ran simultaneously to their own. He had always had a secret desire to own a team of dark types, but there wasn't exactly a lot of dark types in Kanto.
To be fair, there was a good reason certain types of Pokémon were more feared than others. Ten years ago, Orre, Almia, Oblivia, and Fiore, four very powerful regions, banded together to take down the Indigo Alliance, Kanto, Johto, Alola, and Kalos. According to the PFA, the Pokémon Freedom Association, owning Pokémon was a crime against nature. They believed firmly that everyone who called themselves a trainer, or even had a Pokéball, were guilty and in need of death.
Eventually, the Indigo Alliance subdued PFA, but by then, it was too late to stop the prejudice of certain types, specifically the ones that the PFA used in their attacks against Kanto. Dark types led the way to destruction, leaving several smaller cities nothing but ruins. Dragons had followed, strong enough to sink part of Cinnabar Island. Finally, their poison type Pokémon made sure that nothing survived. It was brutal, horrific, but thankfully, only lasted a year.
Since then, even well respected trainers who specialized in one of the three forbidden types were looked upon with distrust. Even Lance, who was the Champion of the league for six years now, hadn't been able to fully shake off the distrust. Sadly, their Dragon taming Champion didn't exactly do much for the publicity of his favorite type. In fact, Ash hated to say it, but Lance might have made things worse. By having a supposedly unbeatable team of dragons, or pseudo dragons, he had made it so that they were practically untouchable, uncontrollable, undeniable parts of nature.
In other regions, especially those not apart of the Indigo Alliance, dragons were accepted, just like dark types and poison types, but here? Here wherever the trio was, destruction followed. It was silly, stupid, and naïve of people, but it was what they believed was the truth.
He half wondered what that meant for people like Erika and Koga, or even Giovanni. All three were known for using poison types. In Erika's case, and Giovanni's, the poison was a secondary characteristic, but it was still there. After all, everyone knew about Erika's Vileplume, Bellossom, and Roserade, just like everyone was aware about Giovanni's Nidoqueen and Nidoking.
Still, he knew that it wasn't the Pokémon themselves who had caused the destruction, but their humans who had been whispering in their ears the entire time. No one thought it was unfair to hate a type based off of what a few members of a species had done. No one, except it seemed, him.
He shoved the thoughts away as he pulled himself up, making his bed for the last time in who knew how long. That, while it sucked, wasn't something he could do anything about right now. Maybe one day, but not now. Now, he only needed to wonder what kind of Pokémon the professor had in mind for him, and whoever else wasn't getting a titan.
Luckily, Professor Oak had just given him a secretive smile, saying that he had an idea, before shooing him off. He groaned again, more out of frustration at still not knowing what the professor had in mind than anything and glanced around his room.
Ash knew who would get Bulbasaur, a girl named Lotus-Azalea. That hadn't even been a question when he found out that she and Leroy were leaving with them. Like most grass types, Bulbasaur were versatile Pokémon, specializing in using status conditions to take down their prey. They were capable of using a variety of attacks, from Poison Powder to Razor Leaf, they could poison and stomp on most Pokémon, especially once they grew into a Venusaur.
Seeing as Lotus-Azalea was the one out of their group that used status conditions to win, it was a match that no one bothered to fight against. It helped that she adored grass types, and fairy types for that matter. Yes, Bulbasaur was probably going to be hers.
He knew that the Squirtle would go to Gary, Professor Oak's grandson. They were the defensive specialists of the trio, with hard shells that became practically impenetrable the older they grew. They could take hit after hit, and still come out of their shell and strike back. Blastoise more so than the others, as it could literally tear through metal with its hydro cannons. It would be the perfect starter for Gary, because it took someone with a brain to figure out how to help a Squirtle become powerful, and if there was one thing Gary knew, it was how to fight smart.
The Charmander on the other hand, could go to Leroy Samson or Neil Cormac, though he was leaning towards Leroy getting it. They were the attack specialist of the trio. Their flames, teeth, claws, and tails were all built to damage anything stupid enough to challenge them. By the time it became a Charizard, its true power could be seen. The flames of a Charizard were only one reason why it was considered to be a pseudo- dragon type. Both of the boys were good fighters, Neil used blunt force as his main strategy, which would be useful once he actually had a Pokémon of his own, while Leroy preferred using a cocktail of status conditions and a high defense to win. though, admittedly, Leroy was more interested in being a psychic/ghost trainer than anything else. So Charmander would probably go to Neil.
As for himself, well, he had no idea. He too had been leaning towards getting a Charmander, mostly because of his obsession with dragons, but he had stepped back to let the other two fight over the small orange lizard. As much as having a powerful Charizard on his team would help him take the League by storm, he honestly wasn't thrilled about having one of the same Kanto Titans that a third of the population in Pallet Town now had. He had always assumed that if he was going to get one of the three, it would be Squirtle, if only so he could make his own legacy.
After all, his mother, Delia, had started her own journey with a Bulbasaur, while his father had a powerful Charizard on his team. He refused to be either of his parents, he didn't want to live up to either of the legacies he was born to.
He had loved his dad, more so than his mom as a young child, and spent most of his time with the man, learning about his passions and the journey that he would one day go on. When he was seven, that all changed. He had walked into his father's study, after class, a few minutes later than usual because he had stopped by the lab to ask Professor Oak a question about the properties of berries and what made them special. There was nothing usual about this day though. The usually clean, if somewhat organized, room was a disaster. His desk had been overturned, bookshelves knocked over, paperwork shredded.
Ash remembered the scent had hit him first, metallic and cold. When his eyes took in the body of his father, head blown practically off by the high powered gun by his side, he almost didn't believe it. The mans face was gone, destroyed and spewed across the room, brain matter and pieces of his skull and skin were everywhere.
It was easier than he wanted to admit, recalling the way he had run over to his dad, begging him to hold on and that he would get help. He had bolted next door, practically begging his then neighbor to help his dad. It had been too late, he had been beyond saving.
He blamed himself. He was so sure that if he had come home earlier, he would have prevented it. It didn't help that, although she never said anything, his mother blamed him too. The day he stood by his mom's side to put his beloved dad in the ground was the day that she told him he was too old to call her mom.
Shaking himself a bit, he took a quick shower, before pulling on his clothes, needing the time to mentally distance himself from the thoughts that crept up in his head. He pulled on his shirt, a high necked, long sleeved, pure black top that clung to his rather spindly body, then stepped into his jeans, black, long, durable, and comfortable. He shoved his boots on his feet, belt through the loops, and his cap on his head, before folding up his jacket and shoving it on the top of his bag. The bag itself was nothing special, one that only had a single strap that went over his head and rested on the hip on his other side. Gary called it a purse, but seeing as it was massive, having all of his equipment, and his sleeping bag inside, he rather thought Gary must have seen some very, very large purses before, and he probably didn't want to know.
The funny part was that Neil, the most prickly member of the soon to be leaving Pallet Town Quintet, had a shoulder bag as well, while Lotus-Azalea preferred a backpack. He was tempted to dare Gary to call the bag a purse in front of Neil and just stand back and watch them get into a fist fight. He hid a smirk at the thought. Neil and Gary were both prone to switching from words to physical violence more so than the rest of them.
Hopefully, they would be able to adapt to getting in battles instead. If not, well, they had twenty four months until the next Indigo League Championship. If they still needed help getting past their stupidity, by the time the League rolled around again, he would have his team to help contain their stupidity.
Another quirk of his lips quickly dropped. He had spent the last few months spending practically all of his time at Oak's Ranch, specifically with a small Sandile that had been the runt of his clutch. He had seen the Pokémon at only a few hours old, and had practically become the Pokémon's main caregiver from the second he had seen those tiny black eyes look into his.
The Sandile, like the rest of his clutch-mates, had been the result of a sixteen year old trainer named Kamilah Naifeh trying to get an oversized Sandile. She was a strong trainer, one that had a terrifying team that no one wanted to face in battle, but she was a careless one too. It wasn't rare for her to leave a dozen eggs with the professor at a time in hopes of achieving her goal of having a team of massive gods.
While the Sandile, she called him Anubis, though he was her sixth one with the same nickname, was smaller than the rest, Ash saw something that apparently Kamilah didn't. Sure, he had been tiny, just over a foot long instead of the two or more of his siblings. Anubis, however, was the only one with the awareness and thirst to become a titan on his own right.
He had practically begged to take the Pokémon with him, but the final decision had fallen to Kamilah, and she had just laughed.
Anubis was remaining behind, at the lab, as per usual, instead of going with the trainer that actually wanted him. Something in him had gone cold and numb since the news, but that was nothing compared to what Anubis had done. He had gone on a rage, knocking out three weak, tiny Pokémon and had gone savage due to his Moxy ability taking over for the first time. It didn't help that Anubis had, from the moment he hatched, had better control over his dark energy than any of his clutch- mates. One of the stronger lab hands had to knock him out, before returning him to his Pokéball.
Ash had searched for his friend for days after, but Anubis had made sure that he wasn't seen. That stung, but he understood. He had gotten both of their hopes up, only for reality to give them a cruel lesson.
That wasn't to say that Anubis was going to just sit around and do nothing for his lifetime. In fact, he was positive that the Pokémon would become an unbeatable Krookodile one day.
One day, maybe in a few years, his Pokémon would be at that level too, and he could come back and challenge his friend.
He shook himself mentally as he arrived downstairs. His mother's Mr. Mime, Mimey, waved cheerfully at him. He waved back, looking past his mother's other Pokémon, a Clefable named Primrose, who just ignored him. The fairy type had a grudge against him for stepping on her foot a few years prior. He knew her other Pokémon were around somewhere, watching over both her and the house. One, her grumpy Alakazam named Ancient, was probably somewhere with Professor Oak's own monster. The two others, a cheerful Beedrill named Sting and a very prissy Venusaur named Violetta, were probably stalking his mother like always. Sting liked to think he was invisible, and the others simply played along with it. Violetta, was most likely watching the small bakery that his mother owned. The last of her once titans was a Nidoqueen named Zinnia, and was most likely at the corral, watching over it like a silent protector.
All of his moms Pokémon were powerful in their own right, but they had grown stagnant by the time he came along. He had seen videos of them at their prime, but it was impossible to see them as anything other than another set of lazy protectors. His mother had her adventures, and had settled down to become a mother at nineteen. Not that she stayed as a mother. Oh no, by the time he was eight, just a year after his dad died, she had opened a bakery, and that had become her baby. If he saw her once a week, it was considered a lot. She was a busy lady, and simply didn't have time for him, now that he could take care of himself.
Besides, he knew that she regretted having a child. She regretted that she hadn't left him with someone who could have taken care of him and went back for her dream, even though she didn't know that he knew it.
As much as he loved her, Delia Ketchum wasn't meant to be a mother. She loathed the life she had, and practically everything in it.
He didn't want the kind of life that she had. He wanted to always grow, always learn, always be better. It wasn't about fighting or not, it was about being the best he could be. He wanted to be passionate about what he was doing, not ashamed of it. He didn't want to look back ten years from now and wish he had made other choices like his mother seemed to do with him.
Mimey pushed a small package into his hand, making him smile. He had practically been raised by the Mr. Mime, and cared for Mimey more than he did his mother. He knew that Mimey would worry about him and hope that he was alright. Mimey loved doing the domestic things around the house, including cooking and taking care of Ash after his father died.
He knew without having to look that the package was a lunch, made just for him, by his mother's Pokémon. He hugged the psychic type, relaxing into the embrace, before heading out of the house.
The ten minute walk to the Professor's lab was strangely soothing. There were Pidgey everywhere, chasing each other in a game. They were singing loudly, content with their lives for now. A Spearow danced through the air, sending him a grumpy glare as it flew. There were other bird Pokémon around, but none of them enjoyed playing as much as Pidgey did, and few were as territorial as Spearow, instincts constantly demanding them to check for intruders in their space.
Pallet Town was a beautiful place. It wasn't like a big city, no, this was where most Pokémon came to lay their eggs, where they came to be safe. The stronger Pokémon in the area were either captured or moved to a better environment. It wasn't the most well-known place in Kanto. In fact, it was hardly mentioned compared to, say, Cerulean City or Saffron City. It had a charm, though. None of the buildings were very tall, and most were made of either brick or wood. The only impressive building in the entire town was Professor Oak's Laboratory. Other than that, there were only a handful of places that weren't homes located in the town, the biggest of which was Professor Oak's Ranch. He wasn't sure how big it was, but he knew that there were several hundred Pokémon that lived in the space, probably more.
As one of the most coveted professors, Oak could be as picky as he wanted, and could refuse to allow a family or person to move here. Seeing as most of the people here were families with dreams of letting their children become one of Professor Oak's students, there was hardly any people. Professor Oak only accepted a certain number of students, and most people had to make do with another professor to watch their Pokémon. Most kids had to go to a minor Professor to get their starter, their parents would catch whatever they could find that wouldn't overwhelm their child, or they would pass down an offspring of one of their own team.
He was extraordinarily lucky that the man had agreed to take him on. He had learned a lot under the man. He had considered what he wanted to do with his life but was still mostly undecided. He wanted to be a trainer, that part was obvious, but he wasn't sure where he wanted to go after that. He hoped that he would be able to attend the Indigo League Conference, but after?
He was leaning towards either going to college, for something to do with his favorite types, or maybe working towards a gym certification. He knew Gary was likely to take after his grandfather and become a researcher, Lotus-Azalea wanted to become a coordinator, Leroy wanted to become a breeder, and Neil simply wanted to know everything.
That was what made them stand out compared to most wanna be trainers. They had a passion for knowledge and were willing to put in the work to get where they wanted to go. They wanted to take the world by storm.
Thankfully, they had the opportunity to do so, because they were the students of Samuel Oak. Every single trainer that he had gifted the starter to became someone. He was one of only two professors in all of Kanto that was licensed to give out a Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. Unless their parent gifted one to them, other trainers had to make do with one of the other species in Kanto. His mother had been one of Oak's students, making it to the top sixteen her first year in the Indigo League Conference, while his dad had started with something else, a humble, but irritable, Poliwag that had become a fearsome Poliwrath once he had grown up. When he had added a Charmander to his team, he had become a force of nature on his own rights.
He knocked on the door to the lab and waited semi-patiently. It was still early, somewhere around six as the sun was starting to rise higher into the sky. That didn't mean anything though. They were supposed to meet at six fifteen, so that they had an entire day to bond with their starters and get used to being actual trainers instead of just children. He supposed he needed it more than the rest of them did, after all, none of the others had gotten close to another Pokémon like he had. None of them knew that no matter what he got, he'd be slightly disappointed because it wasn't Anubis.
The door was opened by Gary, who looked just as tired as he felt. The normally energetic brunette simply waved him inside and yawned. He placed his bag down beside Gary's next to the door, noting that no one else was here yet from the lack of other bags, and followed the half asleep other boy to the main lab.
Gary Oak was not a morning person. His grandfather, on the other hand, looked awake and cheerful with a cup of coffee in his hands. Ash could smell it from across the room. The older man waved happily at him and came across the room quickly.
"Good morning, Ash. Are you ready for today?" The Professor greeted happily, before taking another sip of his coffee.
Ash gave a small shrug. He wasn't sure how to describe how he was feeling. He was nervous, nauseous, excited, a little depressed, and a shaking ball of nerves. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be." What else could he say? That he had spent the night tossing and turning? That he missed Anubis so much that he was sure missing a limb wouldn't hurt this much? That he was angry that Kamilah hadn't even given him a chance to explain that he already felt like Anubis was his starter?
The Professor gave him a slightly sad grin. "I remember getting my first Pokémon. Ignus was such a tiny little thing back then." By Ignus, he meant a now Charizard with a bad attitude. It stayed away from the towns people, but acted as a silent threat, along with the Professor's other Pokémon. They were all abnormally strong considering their age. "You know Ash, Ignus was actually the one who gave me the idea for your starter."
He felt dread in his stomach at the thought. "Really." He said dryly. Ignus wasn't his biggest fan, preferring to burn whatever he could reach with a breath whenever Ash was around. It seemed as if Ignus wanted to make him match his name, becoming nothing but ashes under the powerful flames of the Charizard.
The older man nodded excitedly but held a finger to his lips. "You will have to wait until the others get there to find out what you're getting though."
That made him raise an eyebrow. Normally, one could come and leave within the span of a few minutes. He had never heard of Professor Oak holding back the new trainers until all of them were present. It also meant that he wasn't getting the Charmander or Anubis. He knew it was coming, but that didn't stop the little ball of disappointment that had started in his stomach. He would get a starter, that much was obvious, but it wouldn't be one of the Kanto Titans.
Still, he just shrugged and sat down next to a half-asleep Gary. Once, the two of them had been best friends, going everywhere together and getting into all sorts of trouble. The two had grown up on spy movies, learning useful, yet amusing skills from Jon Bomb and his Delcatty, Diamond. He had become surprisingly good with picking locks, while Gary had found it fun to learn how to escape from handcuffs. It got to the point where they could both quote all fifteen of the Jon Bomb movies, in order, scene by scene, driving the professor mad.
Then, they had started arguing. It had been stupid stuff at first, like Gary believing that he would be able to make it to the Champion's Chair by simply blasting his way there while ash assumed that it would take an unbreakable will and precision to even get that far. It escalated quickly and in the span of a month, they went from practically tied together every moment of every day to Gary occasionally beating him up when they started bickering.
The fighting was made a hundred times worse when the two of them heard that Gary's parents died. He had tried to be there for his best friend, but Gary had shoved him away, yelling at him to take after his dad and do everyone else a favor, before hiding away at his grandfather's. Ash, for his part, still felt awful for yelling, but there was nothing that he could do to repair the relationship they once had.
That had made Ash colder, turning to frost for a couple of months later when he heard Gary laughing with his new friends and taking bets on how old Ash would be before he finally took the hint. He was like a blizzard, untouchable by his once best friend, except on very rare occasions. While there was too much water under the bridge to actually fix anything, Ash hoped that one day, Gary would accept him again. He wasn't stupid enough to think that it would ever happen, but he did have some hope. Until then, he was fine on his own, watching over Gary from the distance.
He shot his once best friend a concerned look. Gary was used to pulling insane hours, even now. For him to be this tired and out of it, he must have gone without sleep for close to a week. Nightmares, Ash confirmed to himself, shoving the pity he felt rising up back down. The brunette would sleep better once he had a Pokémon nearby. He had as a child and would now as well. To be fair, they had both slept better when they had Pokémon nearby, it wasn't rare for Ash to be found snoozing against the side of Professor Oak's massive Dragonite, King. Nor was it particularly weird for Gary to be found curled up next to Ignus, practically the only person besides the Professor himself that could interact with the Pokémon.
He stayed quiet as Gary fell deeper and deeper into sleep, freezing only when he felt his soon to be rival's head fall onto his shoulder. Gary must have had a worse week than he did for him to fall asleep sitting up or touching him. The brunette was notorious about having his own space when he was sleeping, around other people at least. He loathed being touched when he was asleep.
Another knock came at the door, and Ash hushed the Professor before he could wake his grandson with a finger on his lips. Professor Oak simply gave him a beaming smile when he realized the position they had ended up in. For his part, he simply rolled his eyes. It was weird, sure, but if Gary wanted to use him as a pillow, then who was he to deny it? Besides, he thought with a slightly evil smirk, when Gary woke up, Ash would have blackmail. Well, more blackmail. He could never have too much when it came to the cocky brat that was Gary Oak.
Around fifteen minutes later, four people came back into the room. Professor Oak led the way, sipping his coffee to hide his smile, followed by Lotus-Azalea dressed in a short ivy green dress and red tights, with a vibrant green jacket decorated with vine designs, Neil, in his usual dark blue jeans, white shirt, and red hoodie, and Leroy, who was in a crimson red vest over a black shirt, with light blue jeans.
He moved his arm, the one Gary wasn't laying on, and poked the other boy in the head. Gary's long-sleeved purple shirt and green jeans were more practical than any of the others. He guessed that Lotus-Azalea would tear her tights in less than a week, and Neil's white shirt would be nothing but scraps in less than two. He wanted to ask if they realized they would most likely be traveling by foot but kept himself silent.
It wasn't his business.
Gary awoke with a start, causing the other kids to start snickering until Ash glared at them. Unlike Gary, Ash had never been friendly with the other three.
Lotus-Azalea was a drama queen, who believed that she should always get her way, even when they were still being trained at the academy. She looked down on anyone that wasn't rich. She had curly, bright blonde hair and deep green eyes. She always looked perfectly put together, this morning was no exception. Ash wondered for a moment how she would look after a couple of months on the road but shoved it out of his head. He really couldn't have cared. She was spoiled and would still throw a fit like a toddler when she didn't get her way. Still, she wasn't the most annoying person on the planet, and Ash could put up with her for a few hours when he had to.
Neil had been picked on for years, due to his white hair that bled red the longer it got. His eyes were cold and black, unfeeling if one didn't know how to look. He was the type that held a grudge against everyone and had a cruel streak that made him vicious. Ash pitied whatever Pokémon he got, especially if they didn't grow fast enough. He would be an extremely tough trainer and would expect nothing but the best from his team. If something didn't end up living up to his expectations, it wasn't difficult to guess that they would be abandoned. Probably. Nevertheless, Neil was always calculating everything around them, and he had no problems with dragging other people down in order to reach his own goals.
Lastly was Leroy, Lotus's henchman if nothing else. He followed her every word like it was written in the stars. He was a fiery redhead with light lavender eyes and hated anyone that Lotus-Azalea showed even a hint of disdain towards. No one really understood their relationship, least of all him. Still, Ash knew that Leroy had the potential to be dangerous, very dangerous, but he kept that mostly curbed around Lotus. Leroy was also the only person on the planet that regularly called Lotus-Azalea, a girl who could shriek loud enough to bust someone's eardrums, Rosie. Most people would be beaten up or given a verbal beat down so bad that they wanted to hide away forever, yet when it was Leroy, she didn't mind.
He knew that Lotus and Leroy would travel together, though he wasn't sure if they would actually make it to the Indigo League Conference or if they would give up halfway there. Well, Lotus might not, but if Leroy actually put even an iota of effort in, he would make it. Neil would probably tag along with someone, probably Lotus-Azalea and Leroy, for a few weeks before leaving them behind in his search for power. Gary would most likely go alone, like he was going to, but for different reasons. Gary hated being seen as weak, and if Neil or Leroy ever saw him in the throws of a nightmare, he would consider himself weak.
As for Ash, he planned on spending some time fishing at the river in the forest around route one, before making his way towards Viridian. He had plenty of time, after all. He wanted to spend a few days semi close to Pallet Town, just to make sure that he would have everything he would need. He considered it a bit like camping, but this way, he would be able to buy anything he needed and not be completely stranded if something went horribly wrong.
Now that all five of them were here, Professor Oak moved towards the head of the room, and removed a sheet from a small table that had covered three Pokéballs. "Good morning, everyone. You five are very special, because I believe that you are the future legends of Pallet Town. In front of me, I have the Pokéballs for Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander, the official starters of Kanto trainers. Don't be fooled by their size, they have the potential to be massively powerful Pokémon. As you know, because there are five of you, not six, two of you will be going on a slightly different journey than the rest. But I'll explain that more in a minute." The professor clapped his hands together. "Let's get started, shall we? Ladies first, I believe."
Lotus-Azalea moved forwards, a determined glint in her eye. She knew which starter she wanted to make her legend with. Her hand hovered over the Pokéball on the far left that was decorated with a small leaf on the front, above the release, just for a moment, before her fingers closed around it. Professor Oak nodded to her, as she turned it, and pushed the release button.
The small, green Pokémon with deep scarlet eyes looked around, confused, before spotting the girl still holding the Pokéball. Lotus-Azalea knelt down next to it, folding her legs gracefully under her and held out her hand. "Hello Bulbasaur. It's nice to meet you. I've been waiting for you for years now." The Pokémon looked at her curiously, and carefully approached. "My name is Lotus-Azalea. I'm going to be your trainer from now on."
Slowly, the Pokémon touched her out reached hand with the tip of its nose, and watched as she moved her hand to scratch behind its ear. She smiled beautifully as the little grass type purred under her touch.
"I'm going to return you for a little while, okay? I'll let you back out later, so we can get to know each other." She scratched one more time, before reaching to return the little Pokémon.
Lotus- Azalea had definitely picked the Pokémon that was right for her. Everyone knew that she loved only two types of Pokémon, grass types and fairies. Ash himself had once heard her talking to Leroy about the whimsical natures of the two, and how she hoped to harness that kind of power in her battles one day.
"Please leave him out, Lotus dear. I have something else for all of you." The Professor pulled something out of his lab coat and handed a green and pink device to her as she stood. "Normally, I would give you all simply a Pokédex, but this time, I was asked to try something different. All of you will have a choice between simply having a Pokédex, which will give you access to the information you will need in order to become the trainers I am certain you will, and also having something a bit different. I received these from the Galar Region, from a professor friend of mine." He pulled out a matching green and pink device, but this one was flat, rectangular, and didn't have a flap to close it. "This is called a Rotom Phone, and it has access to a special feature called a Pokébox. If you choose to, you can either have your Pokémon, once you reach the limit, come to my Ranch, as per usual, or the Pokébox. By choosing the latter, your Pokémon will be left in stasis until you switch another member of your team, but you will have access to your entire collection of Pokémon instantly. If you prefer to leave them with me instead, then they will have the same ability to roam around that all Pokémon on my Ranch do. But, enough of that, Gary, I believe it is your turn next."
Gary strode forward tiredly, yawning behind his hand as his fingers closed around the Pokéball of his choice, the middle one with a blue, tear shaped design replacing the leaf that Lotus-Azalea picked, Squirtle. He expertly shifted his grip and released the Pokémon. The little turtle was blue and brown, watching the world with boredom. Squirtle looked around at them, silently judging them with its light red eyes. They finally landed on Gary, who was yawning again.
The Pokémon smirked at him, smugness in its eyes, before launching into a light bubble to wake his trainer up fully. The attack landed, mostly harmlessly. It made Gary fall on his butt, but it had done the job and woke up its trainer fully.
"Thanks for that." Gary said flatly, locking his eyes with the Pokémon. It snickered at him. "You're gonna be a handful. I can already tell." He said, resignation written on his face as the turtle Pokémon snickered again. "At least you have guts."
Ash silently wished his one time friend luck. It seemed like the little water type had an attitude problem. One that would get the two of them into a lot of trouble. Still, it reminded him of a younger Gary, and from the smile that Professor Oak was hiding behind his coffee cup, he wasn't the only one. It couldn't go to a better person.
Gary walked back to his spot, grumbling as he ran a hand through his now wet hair. He didn't bother trying to return his starter, as Professor Oak had already told him beforehand not to bother. He clipped the Pokéball on his belt with his other, and simply glared at the little brat of a Squirtle. "I'm calling you Bratling, because you're a baby brat, by the way." He muttered out to the Pokémon, getting yet another smug smirk from his starter.
The professor shook his head in amusement. "I was asked to give this to whomever got Squirtle as a starter, with a message of 'Good luck with him.' Ornery little thing, isn't he? Ah, moving on, Neil, did you want Charm-"
"Yes." The white-haired boy interrupted, walking quickly to pick up the third Pokéball with a smug look. Leroy scowled in annoyance but said nothing. The orange lizard was released in a moment, and the Neil sized it up. For a Charmander, it was smaller than average, and it seemed nervous. It waved a little orange paw at its trainer, crooning out its name.
Neil scowled at it, apparently, it didn't meet his standard, but he was too proud to say anything to Professor Oak, especially since he had interrupted the man. He stuffed the Pokéball in his hoodie and moved back to his place in the line.
"Don't let Charmander's appearance fool you. He's a fire type, after all, and has a thirst for battle that will do nothing but grow as he does. Leroy, come here for a moment."
The fourth pre-teen took a breath and followed the professor out of the room. Apparently, his Pokémon was meant to be a surprise. Ash silently wondered if his own was going to be in the same place that Leroy's was. He took a few seconds to look over the new trainers. Squirtle would be a handful, but he would be powerful, and he would hopefully, be a good influence of Gary. Arceus knew that the other boy needed to learn how to relax. Bulbasaur and Lotus-Azalea were a match made before Arceus himself, as the girl was already kneeling down and chatting quietly to her Pokémon. He would fully admit that he was less sure that Charmander would be alright with Neil than he was that Neil would be alright with the Pokémon. He knew just how impatient the other could be, and frankly, he wasn't sure if Neil was completely emotionally ready for a Pokémon, let alone several.
A few minutes later, the professor returned, Leroy a few steps behind him with a little, floating, blue-ish Pokémon floating lazily after his new trainer.
Ash's eyebrow shot up. That was a Beldum, a rare psychic type that was known for being one of the most intelligent Pokémon in existence. Its final evolution was supposedly smarter than three super computers put together. The Professor went all out apparently, to get his starter. Very few people could handle a psychic type Pokémon, and even less knew how to bond with them. For the Professor to trust Leroy with a Pokémon like this said a lot. For one, psychics were incredibly rare in Kanto, and they could, if raised right, bring a city to their knees if they so choose. For another, having a psychic as a starter was practically unseen. They required a trainer with a firm hand, and an even firmer mind. It helped that Leroy was wanting to be a specialized Duality trainer, like both Ash and Lotus-Azalea, except his preferences were psychic/ghost types.
Finally, it was his turn. He was nervous, especially because Leroy was sending him pitying looks, and whispering quietly to Lotus-Azalea, who seemed to gain the same look.
Without waiting for the older man to call him forward, he simply headed in the direction that Leroy had come from. As soon as they were out of ear shot, the Professor stopped him.
"Now, I know that you wanted Sandile as your starter," the Professor said softly, "but I think you'll find that this is an excellent match. Its a bit... untraditional, and certainly not typically a Pokémon you see with beginners. I think that, because of your bond with Sandile, that you will absolutely take to the challenge of this Pokémon and learn how to thrive. Are you ready to meet your starter, Ash?"
He swallowed nervously, but nodded. He was absolutely ready for this. Slowly, he walked into the room that the professor gestured to, before freezing in place.
The Pokémon wasn't very big, it was most common in places like Alola. It was a quadrupedal Pokémon, with a dinosaur like body. It was mostly grey, both a steel grey on its back and neck, and a charcoal grey on its underbelly and legs. Both its head and tail had a single large, pale yellow scale. Its ruby red eyes stared at him, judging exactly who had entered its space.
He was mesmerized by the Pokémon, it was the most gorgeous. He'd always loved dragons, every single one was majestic and regal in his eyes. But knowing that this one was his, knowing that they would be together through whatever the future hold felt... different.
A tingle went through his spine. How in the world had the professor gotten his hands on a Pokémon like Jangmo-o? The Pokémon was the opposite of Anubis in that his friend had been silent, while Jangmo-o were known to be loud. Where Sandile ambushed their prey, Jangmo-o chased it, scales clanking loudly together with each step. This Pokémon was one of those that could not remain unseen, could not hide away. They were born to be in the spotlight.
How odd.
Admittedly, he wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but he did know that it wasn't a Pokémon that was naturally his opposite. He'd been expecting something more... silent, but, now that he was thinking about it, Jangmo-o would challenge him in a way no other Pokémon, including Anubis, ever could. With a Jangmo-o, he'd never be able to hide.
He bit his lip, consideringly, thinking on what he knew about it. Jangmo-o would be a dragon/fighting type when it evolved. It was a very loyal, valiant species once used by the knights of old. Yes, there was some fear surrounding it, but not nearly as much as some other dragons, like the Gible of Deino lines.
Lance had one, a young Jangmo-o that he had recently debuted, and it had done amazingly in front of the large stadium of people. It wasn't a type to be scared away by anything. They could be a bit antisocial sometimes, but it was never because of fear.
Bold, unapologetic, and valiant, thats what the Jangmo-o line was known for.
Ash was honest with himself. Jangmo-o was the worst possible Pokémon for someone like him, someone who both wanted the spotlight, yet shied away from getting it. He wanted respect for his team, but would rather remain unseen himself. Not to mention his thousands of issues surrounding his childhood and his father's suicide. No, he'd always been one to watch longingly at people who could connect with others, but knew he couldn't do it himself.
That wasn't the worst part, though. No, the worst part was that he was terrified. Every single bone in his body was begging him to run away, to hide. He wasn't ready to be watched, wasn't ready to be seen. But, he stayed still, frozen in place.
He wondered if Jangmo-o's powerful sense of smell could tell exactly how scared he was in that moment. Clearly, the Pokémon wasn't impressed by him, but why would it be? He was nothing compared to the wild, beautiful dragon.
His heartbeat felt louder than normally, and his palms started to sweat as he considered the Pokémon in front of him. This was a bad idea, a very bad idea. It went against everything he was to take on a dragon like this. And yet...
He slowly crept forward, keeping well out of Jangmo-o's personal space, before bowing to the Pokémon, keeping their eyes locked together. He held the bow for a few seconds, trying to ignore his racing heart. If he wanted this Pokémon to be willing to work with him, he needed to show it the respect it deserved. And it had to be willing to match him.
It felt like forever, but was probably closer to a minute, before the Pokémon finally ducked its head back and kneeled back.
Gotcha.
That singular show of respect was enough for both of them. Jangmo-o had pledged its allegiance to him, and Ash had done the same. That didn't mean everything was perfect, but it did mean that Jangmo-o would be willing to work with him. For now.
The professor smiled softly from the doorway, not bothering to enter the room. While a large part of the man was sad that Ash wouldn't get the starter he'd hoped for, he knew that this was for the best. Jangmo-o could help him heal in a way that his favorite Sandile could not. Jangmo-o would see the boys flaws and help him become the trainer, the eventually master, that Ash was destined to become.
Oh, the old man knew that this was likely the only dragon type Ash would have. He knew how badly Ash wanted to master the dragons, but he also knew that Ash would slip into the shadows if he was allowed. He wondered if the boy ever realized he spoke of dark and poison types with unadulterated glee, while when dragons were mentioned, he seemed more forced. Probably not, Ash was stubborn about his preferences.
It was part of the reason he'd been so thrilled with Ignus had captured the small dragon. With Jangmo-o, Ash could have a taste of what owning a dragon only team would be like, then he could decide from there if he wanted to pursue the masteries. No, the boy may have been in denial, but even Gary could see the truth.
Ash Ketchum wasn't meant for the life of a Dragon Master. He thrived in the presence of both poison and dark types.
Yet, until the boy figured it out for himself, Samuel was more than happy to play along.
The boy had yet to remove his locked gaze from the Pokémon. He tried to picture how his future would look with Jangmo-o by his side. At least Jangmo-o most likely loved to battle.
It would grow quicker than a pure dragon would, once it evolved anyways. Pure dragons always came into their power slowly. It was a way nature chose to protect them. If they had the ability to level mountains from the moment they hatched, the world would be in shambles from baby dragons and their temper tantrums.
Luckily, its fighting spirit would help a lot, though, he acknowledged, he'd need to spend some time today relearning about the Pokémon. He trusted himself, but, it was always better to be sure about a training plan than to jump in head first with no idea what you were doing.
He looked it over, and mentally added in a good grooming session too. It looked like some of its scales were starting to shed, bad timing, but that was easy to fix. Scaled Pokémon were much easier to maintain than Pokémon with feathers, or fur.
Finally, he sat down on the floor, still being careful to give the Pokémon whatever space it wanted. "Hi there." He greeted softly. "My name is Ash Ketchum. I really want to take on the League circuit over the next eighteen months, so that I can prove how amazing dragon Pokémon are. I'd like your help in reaching my goal, and I promise, if you do, we'll work together to show the world exactly how powerful you are."
Blah, he thought with a slight cringe, he sounded pathetic. He really wasn't off to the best start, but he was trying. It was just... harder than it should be today.
Part of that was definitely because he'd been hoping that Kamilah would have changed her mind, but most of it was simply because he was just really socially awkward. The more he wanted to make a good impression, the more likely he was to screw it up. Because of course thats how his brain worked.
Jangmo-o scoffed at him, clearly unimpressed by his weak speech, but nudged him anyways. The Pokémon knew that he would give the respectful boy a chance, out of courtesy more than curiosity. He'd heard from the great fiery one that this boy needed him, so he would try. But the second that he didn't like what he saw, or found a human that was better than this one, he would be gone.
What good was a valiant Pokémon in the hands of a cowardly knight, after all?
Ash hid a grimace. He could read what the Pokémon wanted him to know. This was a trial basis thing. If he couldn't prove that he was worthy of respect, he'd be abandoned. It wasn't great, but it was a chance. That was all he needed.
The Pokémon nudged him in the knee, silently asking the human to stand so that they could move from the room. Ash compiled silently, and shot the professor a small, strained smile.
It was weird, he realized, hearing the jingling sound of Jangmo-o's scales colliding with every step the dragon took. He'd never have silence again if the Pokémon was out. That was going to take some getting used to.
This was what he wanted, this was what he had been working for, so why did it feel so... uncomfortable?
Once they made it back to the others, the Professor handed out the last of the Rotom Phones, and passed Ash the Pokéball that normally housed Jangmo-o, each customized in a particular color palette. Ash's own was a plain black, nothing fancy or worth paying attention to if you weren't him.
He tried his best to ignore the incredulous looks from Lotus and Leroy, as well as the shit eating grin from Gary. Thanks to that look, he knew that the brunette had known about his starter, and thought it was funny as hell. Jerk. At least Neil didn't seem to give a damn either way.
Professor Oak cleared his throat, gaining their attention. "Well, before you all leave, I have a few final things to discuss. Firstly, you need to decide if you want your Pokémon to come to me, or if you wish to use the boxes that come with the Rotom Phone. Lotus, which would you prefer?"
The only girl glanced down at her starter, before answering confidently. "I'd rather leave my Pokémon with you, Professor."
Oak nodded easily, not at all surprised. "Leroy?"
"Here, if you don't mind, Professor." The red head said calmly.
"Gary?"
The brunette scoffed. "Please, I'm leaving them with you, obviously, Gramps."
"Neil?"
The white-haired boy took a moment to think things through, like he hadn't been considering it since the professor first told them it was an option. "I think," He said slowly, "I would rather have a traditional team, without being able to cheat and switch whenever I want. It would help my team grow stronger for me not to switch them at will."
That was a surprise. Ash was almost positive that Neil, if anyone, would want to have access to all of his potential power at all times, but he supposed it was the others boy's choice. Which meant it was his turn. Unlike the others, he saw no reason to not use the tools he had been given. Then again, he could understand why the other three saw no problem going with a more traditional journey. Neil, Gary, and Lotus would end up having large teams, extremely so. If any of them ended up with less than forty Pokémon, he would be surprised. Neil wanted the best of the best for his team, Gary wanted to learn about all different types of Pokémon, and Lotus wanted the most elegant, most beautiful, and most dangerous Pokémon she could find. She loved all things grass type and fairy type. As for Leroy, he would probably have a smaller team, if only because unlike the others, he was picky. Granted, he was probably going to focus in on ghosts and psychics, but that had been obviousfor years. It would have made sense for him to take the offer, but if Lotus-Azalea didn't want it, he would follow her lead without question.
But Ash, he didn't want a super large team. He didn't want to have a hundred Pokémon. He just wanted… Well, he wasn't sure what he wanted just yet, but it would make sense for him to have a wide range of both dark and dragon types, in case he needed them. However, he wanted to be selective as well. He didn't just want a dragon because it was a dragon, he wanted the Pokémon he captured to have a drive, one that would keep them fighting and growing, no matter how strong their opponents were.
He wanted to know all of his Pokémon, wanted them to be near him all the time. If he happened to get a dark type or two, they could hold grudges worse than any other other type, and, unlike most dragons, they could break their bonds with their trainers if they got mad enough. Poison types could get pretty spiteful too, he acknowledged mentally. If he ever let himself catch anything else, it would be those two types. Being prepared for them in advanced was probably a good idea.
Which, admittedly, made his decision easier. "I think I'll take the second option, Professor." It would be easier for him to be able to spot that fire if he could have access to any of his Pokémon at any time. It also meant that should he find himself in trouble, he could switch his team around until he had the team best equipped to deal with whatever problem he faced.
Gary, who knew him the best out of the group, and the Professor seemed to know his answer before he spoke. Neither of them would be surprised by the fact that he would want to take every advantage he could, even if they saw different advantages than he did.
The professor asked to see their Rotom phones and adjusted the settings on each one until it was what each trainer had requested. Once he was done with that, he gathered their attention again.
"Secondly, I'd like to go over what is expected of each of you. It is a trainer's job, and honor, to go on their journey of discovery. This doesn't mean that I expect you to find out everything about yourselves, but I want you to experiment. I want you each to try something new, something different. There are so many paths one can take as a trainer, from researching, to breeding, to coordinating, to battling competitively. What you want now may not be what you become passionate about later. Never stop searching for your happiness. Never be afraid to change. Never let your passion die. I am fully aware that I switched up my usual graduation plans by letting the five of you leave together, but I honestly believe that the world needs trainers like you. We need groups that are able to work together, just as we need people who are confident in their abilities. Do not forget, while you may go on separate paths, you are still connected by the threads of time. If you need help, do not be afraid to ask for it from your fellow journeymen. Do not forget who you have been but be cautious to also not forget who you will become."
All of them nodded at the warning. They had seen too well what happened when a trainer forgot who they were, and tried to be something fake. As children who were born at the end of a war, they had all seen how cruel life could be.
In Ash's case, his dad survived as a soldier, but lost the battle to suicide a few years later. Gary's parents had both been killed when he was two, and his sister was six. Neil's parents abandoned him to his aunt because they were unable to raise a child. Lotus's mom had lost a leg in defense of Kanto. Leroy's parents struggled to find a reason to keep going, even after all these years. No, none of them were unaware of what had been lost due to the war.
"Next, I have partnered with Professor Oleander from Paldea, who sent five Pokémon over as a gift. He has graciously assigned each of them to one of you already, not as a starter, but as a reminder. We are hoping this helps each of you realize how different, yet similar our homes are. Remember, fighting is only important if you are doing it to protect something. It is a bit unconventional, but I want each of you to become the best versions of yourselves that you can. So, each of these Pokémon were strategically assigned to you because of your biggest flaws. They will not be easy to raise, but I believe they will be worthy companions." The Professor told them.
Ash... wasn't really surprised. A group usually left Pallet Town every six months or so. Last time, each of them had two Pokémon, one of the traditional Kanto starters, and one that was typically found in Sinnoh. Before that, the group who left was partnered with Pokémon from the Unova region.
It hadn't always been like this, but for the last two years, every single group left with two Pokémon. Almost as if...
No, the Professor couldn't be preparing them for a war at eleven. That was stupid. Right?
None the less, he took the offered Pokéball with a resigned since of foreboding. The professor was trying to tell them something, warn them of something, but he wasn't allowed to say a word about it. Probably. Or maybe Ash just needed a nap to get back into reality land.
He glanced towards the rest of the quintet, each of whom had gone to a different corner of the room to figure out what they were given.
Gary was next kneeling down next to an odd Pokémon, a char... something. Charcadet maybe? Either way, it was a fire type Pokémon that did not look happy to see the boy. Its attitude was combative, especially towards Squirtle who it seemed to loathe on sight.
Ash hid a snicker at that. He understood why Gary had those two, of all Pokémon. The professor damn well knew his grandson had an attitude problem, and these two were the mans attempt at getting Gary to see the problem, and possibly change it.
Lotus-Azalea and her Bulbasaur had sat down next to a pink Pokémon with a giant hammer. Tinkatink. It probably had something to do with Lotus's belief that fairy type Pokémon had to be soft, and gentle in their destruction of their opponents. Having to deal with a powerhouse that was known for being feisty and cruel, rather than using her typical strategies would be hard for her.
Leroy was passive by nature, and he preferred to follow his best friend instead of carving his own path. Left alone with just Beldum, the two would probably never get anything done. Which was why seeing him looking at a Mankey jumping around in horror was hilarious. Mankey wouldn't let Leroy go with the flow, he'd demand his trainer be fully engaged at all times. Poor guy.
Neil's biggest issue had always been his attitude towards what he perceived to be weakness, that he didn't need people because everyone around him was weak. Both Charmander's shyness and Pawmi's social nature would put them at odds with each other. It didn't help, he knew, that Pawmi were known for being weak. At least, when they were young. Seeing as Neil couldn't tolerate weakness, he wondered how well they would actually get along.
Yeah, each of them had definitely been chosen on purpose by the professor. Sadist.
He looked down at his own starter, then at the Pokéball in his hand. Whatever the Pokémon was, it would be something that went against Ash's own comfort zone. Seeing as Jangmo-o already did that, he was dreading to think of how bad of a match up this Pokémon was going to be.
He took a breath and pushed the button, keeping a careful eye on his new starter, and the Pokémon forming. It didn't take long for him to realize just how screwed he was. Because that? That was a Pawniard.
Pawniard were known to travel in groups, with only the strongest being able to evolve into Bisharp. Once they had made their allegiance, it was impossible to change their mind, but to gain it, you needed to be strong enough to be worthy of respect.
Fuck.
To top it off, he his new Pokémon wasn't even looking at him, but instead, it was focused on Lotus's Tinkatink. He knew that the Tinkatink line hunted Pawniard, but thankfully, the other Pokémon was too busy swinging around its hammer to care about the possible snack.
He blanched at the thought, and quickly returned the Pokémon before it could become prey. Nope, absolutely not. He wasn't dealing with this right now. He'd wait until they were alone before trying again.
The professor cleared his throat again. "I bid all of you good luck, success, and hope for your futures."
With that, they were dismissed. The five of them glanced at each other, heading to the door at the same time. They stared at their bags once they arrived, none of them making a move to pick up their supplies and so that they could start on the next chapter in their lives.
Lotus-Azalea cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Leroy and I are headed directly to Route One if anyone wants to join us."
Ash, Gary, and Neil all shook their heads. Leroy and Gary had both saw the note in the migration tab that said something interesting was east of Route One, and they would probably go together to find the herds they were looking for.
Ash, on his part, wanted to spend some time in the forest, getting to know his new team. He couldn't really do that if he couldn't trust his Pokémon around Lotus's. On top of that, he needed to do some research asap on how to take care of a Pawniard, because he had no idea how to keep its blades in good shape.
Still, before he left he had two things, possibly three, to do, while the others were more than ready to leave as they had already said their goodbyes. First, he wanted to sit down with the professor and make sure that Anubis would be okay without him. Second, he needed to find a place to have a talk with Jangmo-o. Thirdly, he wanted to look through the functions of the Rotom Phone before he left.
Slowly, Lotus and Gary gathered their things, and headed outside, with both of the other boys following while Ash stayed behind. He watched impassively as Lotus-Azalea and Leroy headed out immediately, while Neil and Gary decided to have their first battle with each other first on the steps of the Lab.
He gave a soft sigh towards his starter, trying to figure out how to gain the respect he needed, but gave up after a moment, turning his gaze to the professor instead
To his surprise, the Professor was at the small table in the corner, sipping on some tea, with another cup across from him, and a teapot in the middle of the table. The older man gestured for him to join, and Ash carefully sat down, knowing that the professor would speak when he was ready to.
Professor Oak reached up and poured the younger now- trainer a cup of tea, before offering the sugar. Ash took two large spoons of the sweet substance and mixed it in his drink. They both knew how the other liked their tea, as this was far from the first time they had sat at this very table.
When Ash had taken his first sip, the other man started speaking. "Ignus insists that this is a good idea, and King agrees." He told the boy, referring to his Charizard and Dragonite respectively. "I am not so trusting, my boy. You know as well as I do that Jangmo-o are powerful, and this one especially is so very different from what you were hoping for. While it could be worse, child, I'd like for you to be able to reassure me that you won't get left behind by your starter. Because if you do, and Pawniard decides that he's worth following, you'd be alone."
Ash nodded at that. He had seen several gruesome photographs of what could happen when a trainer was abandoned by their Pokémon. He knew just how dangerous their world could be.
Sometimes, Jangmo-o lost its temper with their trainers. Sometimes, the person was left alive, but if they were, they would usually prefer to be dead. They could be vicious on a good day, and lethal on a bad one. Raising a Pokémon like this required a specific mindset of caution and respect, yet confidence. If a Jangmo-o felt disrespected, or as if their trainer was weak, they would dispose of them. There were at least a dozen dragon attacks a year, with a little less than half of them ending up taking the life of the person foolish enough to invoke their anger.
"I'm not really sure about it either, Professor." He admitted softly, staring into his teacup. "I have a couple of ideas, but every Jangmo-o is different. They respect different things. All I can promise to do is my best."
The professor gave him a frown. "I don't exactly have any other starters laying around, Ash."
He nodded easily. "I know. I'd be fine with a Pidgey, or something simple and easy to get, if it came down to that. But I don't think it will. I love dragons, professor, and I think that will help me in the long run."
Oak sighed heavily. "If I could give you the Sandile, I would. You know that I believe that the two of you would be wonderful partners. But forcing yourself to change for someone else, even your starter, is a bad idea. And honestly, I don't think you know how much having a Pokémon, being on your journey really, can change what your beliefs are."
He felt the little twinge in his chest. "I'm going to try and find him before I go. I need-" He cut himself off with a frustrated sigh and combed a hand through his hair. "I know there's nothing we can do." He did know it, but that didn't mean he hated it any less. "Still, I plan on working with both dragons and dark types. If I don't have a starter that respects me, how can I expect any of the rest of my team to? After all, it's the starter's responsibility to be the first bridge between a new Pokémon and their trainer. Having a Pokémon that is only with me because it doesn't have a choice is a great way to ensure that any future Pokémon I get don't trust me either."
With the teams he was thinking about building, respect was vital, and without it, there was a very good chance that his own team would turn on him and he would become a statistic. He wouldn't let that happen, not if it could further damage the reputations of his favorite types.
"Have you bothered asking Jangmo-o what he thinks yet, now that he has been able to watch you?" The professor asked mildly.
He glanced at the Pokémon waiting by the door and took another sip of his tea. He could admit to himself that he was anxious about what choice Jangmo-o would make. Either way, he would have to make adjustments to his plans, which were pretty bare to begin with. If the Pokémon decided not to come with him, that meant having to deal with trying to gain the trust of a completely different Pokémon, which admittedly, he wasn't very good at.
On the other hand, if Jangmo-o did decide to come with him, he would need to put several precautions in place to make sure that both of them, and any future Pokémon he added to his team, were as safe as they could be.
He could tell that the Pokémon hadn't fully decided yet. That said, he couldn't exactly wait around all day for him to decide. Ash wasn't sure he would want to even if he could.
"What do you want to do?" He asked casually, turning to fully look at the Pokémon. Even if it wasn't a hundred percent sure, it had to be leaning one way or the other.
To his surprise, the Jangmo-o slowly, cautiously, walked to his side, sitting down a few feet away from the table. He blinked, that was a pretty clear indicator. "Alright then. Do you mind if I give you a nickname so that you stand out from everyone else?"
Jangmo-o nodded carefully.
He had considered what kind of name he wanted for his starter before. He knew the typical nicknames referred to their typing, such as King, weren't his cup of tea. He liked regal names, names associated with legend, and names that fit with their personality. Meletius might fit, as it meant the cautious one, but Ash had no doubt that his caution would wear off once the Pokémon gained some self-confidence.
Then again, he did like names with a certain theme, and while Anubis wasn't his, he did kind of like the idea of naming his Pokémon along the same lines. Not a god name, no, that was just not the Pokémon, but perhaps, something that was related to death?
Names like Arawen, a god of death from a far away region, floated through his mind. He discarded it, knowing that it wasn't quite what he was going for. Perhaps…
"What do you think of the name 'Astaroth?' He was one of the great dukes of the afterlife." Not that a dragon really needed a name like that, but he liked it. It sounded regal enough that people would be curious, but not many people knew about the rulers of the afterlife according to ancient mythology.
A part of him loved the idea of naming his team after the rulers of the afterlife. It made him strangely smug to think about having a Mammon, a Beelzebub, and the rest of them. Plus, when he called their names, it wouldn't give away too much. Yes, he liked it a lot.
Eventually, the Pokémon shrugged, and thus, was officially named Astaroth in Ash's eyes.
He nodded, more to himself than the Pokémon, and glanced back at the professor, who had been watching him with a strange, almost nostalgic look on his face. He wondered if Professor Oak had gone through something similar with his own starter all those years ago. He decided not to ask, and simply finished his tea instead.
"Keep in touch, will you? I don't want more than a month to go by without at least a call, alright?" Oak told him softly, unable to wipe the strange look off of his face.
He nodded easily but made sure not to actually say anything. The professor knew better than most that he was the only person in Pallet Town that Ash actually cared for, and there was no point in bothering either of them to mention Delia. The older man knew that he wouldn't call his mother often, maybe a few times a year, just as Ash knew that the professor would prefer for him to keep regular contact with Delia.
Exhaling slowly, he got up and said his goodbyes. It would be a while before he came back to Pallet town, and with the ability to transfer his Pokémon anytime he wanted, there would be less of a need to actually get in touch with anyone from the town.
He easily clicked the Pokéball into the first spot on the right, where it would remain. Pawniard's own spot was the one right behind Astaroth for now. Seeing as he was left handed, and the way he grabbed Pokéballs, he had long ago decided that his starter would be placed on that side instead of his dominate side. It was a symbol, of sorts, that he was trusting his starter to protect his weaker side, while he would protect it with his stronger side.
Walking out of the lab felt odd, almost as if some part of him had changed dramatically in the hour or so he had been inside. Glancing down at his now partner, he supposed part of him had. He wasn't a wanna- be trainer anymore. He had a Pokémon that would be by his side, hopefully, until the day that they died.
He felt a slight bitterness, sincerely missing Anubis in that moment, as well as an excitement as to what he would do from there. The world was open to him now that he had a Pokémon. He could go practically anywhere, see practically anything, and learn so much more about himself and the team he was going to build.
Instead of heading north, so he could reach his fishing spot, he turned south east, towards the Ranch. He had one last thing to do before he could leave. A part of him wanted to not go, to just avoid seeing the heartbroken Sandile one last time, but he couldn't do that to Anubis. His friend deserved a goodbye, even if nothing else.
He could feel his chest pulsating in pain at the thought of leaving Anubis behind, but there was no other choice in the matter. He would reach out again to Kamilah, once he had a few Pokémon on his team and he could prove that he wasn't what she thought.
That said, he was sure he would always secretly hate her for the way she treated her Pokémon. She bred Pokémon constantly and only bothered actually meeting the babies that hatched if they were something she considered special. One day, he would beat her, and her desert team, as cruelly as he possibly could.
He considered the type of team he would need to do so, a powerful mixture of both dragons and dark types, from perhaps a Dreepy, an Obstagoon, or a Houndoom. He was certain he would eventually be able to do it eventually.
This years Indigo League season had just started, and he had no doubt that Kamilah would be able to fight her way to the Cup itself. One day, he would stand across the field from her, he was sure of that. That day would be so sweet. Which meant he had eighteen months exactly to build up a team that he could rely on.
He didn't bother going into the Ranch itself, he knew that he would never find Anubis with the other Pokémon. In fact, if the Sandile was anywhere near any life, minus plant life, he would be extremely surprised. He knew how the Pokémon worked by now.
Resisting the urge to smile, Ash moved to the side where a tree they had always lounged under waited for him. He was being watched. While he couldn't see his friend, he could feel the black eyes watching his every movement. Anubis wasn't ready to come out and see him yet, but he was still keeping him in sight. It was a testament to how much time the two had spent together for Ash to know which shadows the Pokémon was hiding in, even if he couldn't see him.
"Be safe, Anu." He whispered softly towards the shadow. "Don't eat all of the others."
They both knew what he didn't say, what he never would say. He already missed his fierce protector more than he thought was possible. He couldn't forget Anubis, but he couldn't stay here forever. With that goodbye in his mind, he was ready to head towards his first challenge: Route One.
What? No Barastyr? And I changed the names of three of the quintet? Yes indeed I did. I warned you it was going to be different. I miss Bara already, but I can't wait to see where Astaroth will lead us.See you in the next one!