The playground was on fire, and it wasn't Ash Ketchum's fault.

Okay, maybe it was. In his defense, he was doing his best to stop a bunch of kids playing with matches on top of the slide. He just didn't know his shoe laces were untied and that he tripped on them and fell on the kid holding a lit match.

But because of that, for a total of two days, Ash was known as Firecracker.

I say two days because on the third day Ash heard something leaking and accidentally caused a pipe to burst and flooded the kindergarten room.

The kids tried to name him Waterloo but that name only stuck for one day when on a really stormy day…

…by now you're starting to get it, aren't you?

Ash has either caused or just so happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. You would think that after certain events, kids would give him a new nickname along the lines of Dis-Ash-ter or something kiddie-like. However, it seemed whoever tried to come up with a new name ended up suffering the most in the next unlikely event that Ash's presence triggered. So everyone in Pallet Town tended to just go with the flow at whatever misfortune Ash caused. It gave the boy a normal, but rather interesting, bully-free life.

However, despite his odd luck, Ash Ketchum was and still is a simple soul whose dream was to simply be the best there ever was.

He couldn't wait until he was ten years old to start his epic journey to be the best there ever was.

However, nine year old Ash Ketchum had faced his greatest challenge in his life yet—probably ever.

"… as of this moment, the age of legal trainers has been bumped up to 13 years of age. Trainers who received their license before this law must surrender their ID and wait until they are of age to regain—"

"NOOOOO!" The raven haired boy cried out in disappointment after hearing the worldwide news from the television. He thought that when he turned ten, he would only have to wait a few more months in order to be able to get his first Pokemon and start on his epic journey he's been anticipating for almost all his life.

But apparently life had to get in the way and push his goal even further away just before he could start it.

"Ash, please be quiet. You shouldn't disturb the neighbors." Delia Ketchum sighed deeply as she saw her beloved son seem to reach a mid-life crisis while being a kid. It is a dark day when a nine year old realizes how cruel the world can really be.

The young raven-haired boy turned towards his mother with tears on his eyes. "I was so close! My tenth birthday was one week from today and then this happens!?"

"Life is about how you react to circumstances, Ash. You can still get your Pokemon one day, so don't lose hope yet."

Her kind, loving, and inspiring words really impacted the young raven-haired boy's life at that moment.

"… WAAAHHH!" Or it would have if the kid didn't start crying. At least he tried to be quieter as he planted his face into the couch… or he might have lost the will to sit up and just let gravity do its thing… hard to say. But Delia did feel bad for her son. He was looking very much forward to his Pokémon journey.

While ignoring the running TV, and the increasingly muffled and desperate cries of her son, Delia Ketchum had an idea.

"Ash," Delia began with a smile as bright as the morning sun when she tried to wake up her son. "Happy Birthday! You're ten years old now!

While Delia was a shining beacon of light, her son was in unspeakable gloom that seemed to even dim the sunlight.

The angsty Ash covered himself with his blanket and turned away from the window of his room. "What's the point? I'm not 13 yet..."

Delia rolled her eyes. "Yet you act like an overly dramatic teenager already..." She whispered before huffing up and putting her hands on her hips. "Ash Ketchum, get up!"

Ash knew better than to resist his mother's word and groaned as the light was forcefully returned to his face when his blanket was taken.

"It's your tenth birthday, and I want you to get dressed. We're going to Professor Oak's lab."

That seemed to instantly snap Ash out of his stupor as he got up. "W-What!? We're going to Professor Oak's!?"

Hook-line-and-sinker. Delia swore her son had a one track mind. "Yes, now hurry up."

"B-But I thought trainers have to be 13 years old now!? Why are we going there?"

Delia gave a smile to her son. "It's for your birthday present. Now come on, don't be late!"

Ash was somewhat hopeful as he found himself quickly changing and cleaning himself up. The rules now clearly stated that trainers needed to be 13 years of old to start their journey now. But as he and his mom started to go into Professor Oak's lab, the young boy started to get nervous but excited.

When Delia knocked on the door, Professor Oak answered and returned the smile. "Ah Delia! Ash! I've been expecting both of you. Come in! Come in!" He said as he motioned the two inside his lab.

No longer able to hold it in anymore, Ash half-asked, half-blurted out, "Professor Oak?! Why am I here? To get a Pokémon!?"

"No, no." The renowned man said kindly with a laugh. However, before Ash could look disappointed again, he continued. "Your mother asked if I could use an assistant."

"Assistant?!" Ash looked to his mother who only smiled. This was his birthday present? Professor Oak was cool and all but to be his assistant? Why did his mom think that would be a good idea?

"I think it was a splendid idea." Professor Oak was either very good at reading people, or was really lucky with his choice of words, either way he elaborated more as the three of them entered into the living room. "I was told that like my grandson, Ash was also feeling down at his chance at being a trainer moved farther than he expected."

The old man laughed at the thought before solemn realization was on his face. "Wait, but he somehow got his driver's license before his Pokémon one when one has to be at least 18 years of age to take the test, which was twice his age until recently... and he was planning to use a car to drive out of Pallet Town when he got his Pokémon!? That boy sometimes… I worry for him."

Ash raised his brow since he knew who the renowned researcher was talking about. "Gary can drive a car?"

"I choose not to think about it too much, it saves many future headaches." Professor Oak motioned the others to sit down among the couches. After they did so, the old man cleared his throat. "Now, Ash, the reason why I need an assistant is because I'm getting old, and it would be nice to get an extra pair of hands helping around the building and teaching a few things here and there."

The young raven-haired boy couldn't help but frown. All his hopes were up for some kind of loophole to get him to start being a trainer, but instead to find out he was working here? He knows he isn't always the most behaved son, but why was his mom doing this form of punishment?

Professor Oak continued to talk. "And I'm sure the more energetic Pokémon here would also love to play with you."

This would be the time where Ash Ketchum heard the sound of a mental record being abruptly scratched.

"Pokémon?" The boy repeated with sudden interest.

The old trainer nodded before continuing. "Why yes. There are many Pokémon at my ranch for either research or for storage of older trainers that still travel around. I'm mostly alone with them, so having a new helping hand would benefit me and them greatly." Professor Oak closed his eyes, but slyly opened one of them to peek at a very focused Ash.

"If you joined, you could get to interact with many Pokémon for the next three years until you start your journey proper."

Ash stood up with stars practically in his eyes. "Really!? I can be with Pokémon!?"

Professor Oak nodded with a rather calm smile. "Yes, you can. So what do you say? Would you like to be my assistant?"

"YES!" Ash didn't waste a second before looking around. "So where's the Pokémon!?"

Delia and Oak shared a laugh before standing up as well. Ash was lead towards the back where Professor Oak opened the door, and outside was a place that was filled with many different Pokémon as far as the eye could see.

"Ashy?"

The raven-haired boy was brought back to reality hard when he heard that familiar and partially egotistic voice. He turned his head, and against his wishes, he saw Gary Oak standing nearby holding rake and wearing a special get up.

"What are you doing here?" The brunette seemed to eye the ravenette with caution.

The boy pointed back to him with equal or more obvious disdain. "I should be asking you that!?"

Before the two could butt heads, perhaps even literally, Professor Oak cleared his throat to get their attention. "Behave you two, you'll both be working together."

"WHAT!?" The two boys shouted at the same time before pointing to the other, "I have to work with him!?"

The old man remained sagely and calm despite the obvious synchronization of the two boys. "You were all disappointed when the age limit was bumped up before the beginning of your journeys. And taking care of Pokémon now was the closest thing you can do to help pass that time. I will teach you all that I can about Pokémon, and that in turn can help all four of you have a head start when your journey can begin."

The two were disgruntled at the fact they had to work with each other, but they both knew that working with Pokémon was more worth than stomaching their rival—wait a second.

Ash blinked. Then repeated what the old trainer just said in his brain. He raised his brow when he recalled that the renowned scientist said a word that didn't make sense. "Professor, did you just say four?"

"Oh right, two more would-have-been trainers are coming here. With all the things to do here, even the two of you could use a helping hand." There was a buzzing from the man's wrist that made everyone look at it. He had a digital watch and a thoughtful look was shown across the face of the professor when he looked at it. "And it appears they're here now."

Everyone followed the Professor as he soon opened up his front door again. Behind the door there were two girls around Gary and Ash's age.

One girl was a scarlet-haired girl wearing a black bandana that covered most of her head. She wore long-faded jeans, a Poké Ball belt, had black traveling boots, a long sleeved white t-shirt and wore a black vest over it, and to finish off her 'don't mess with me' look, she had black fingerless gloves and a rather annoyed stare with her emerald colored eyes.

The other girl was somewhat the opposite. She had a gentler look with short silver hair. This young girl was wearing pink running shoes, black pantyhose, and wore a purple skirt. Her upper torso simply consisted of a light purple turtle neck shirt with a Poké ball symbol on her left hip. Her ruby red eyes glanced around but then widened when she saw Ash's face.

Ash, and also Gary, looked on with surprise when he saw the two girls. Gary gave a quick frown while the raven-haired boy smiled and waved at the two of them. "Hey Emily, Mary." He addressed the red head as Emily and addressed the silver haired girl as Mary.

Mary seemed to brighten up… or technically light up like a tomato at the simple hello. "H-Hi-Hi A-Ash!"

The raven haired boy tilted his head. "Huh? Mary, are you still sick?" He asked with obvious and oblivious concern.

"N-No," The silver haired girl seemed to suddenly find the floor very, very interesting to look at, so much in fact that she just decided to look at nothing but the ground and her feet. "I-I'm fine."

(Aah… youth.) Both Delia and Professor Oak thought inside their heads.

"Mary," Emily sighed before she spoke up. "I'm surprised you're here, Ash. Mister Ego here I understand but…" The red head leered at Gary as she said this.

Gary returned a leer but then his frown turned into that of a smug smirk. "This coming from you, Vertigo?"

The red haired girl practically growled to the point it could scare the greatest of dragon types.

It then occurred to Ash that he forgot that nicknames flew a lot among the kids here in Pallet Town. Though, it might have been his fault that the energy used to try and label him as a kid just channeled into finding what to call other people.

Professor Oak decided to step in before the girl tackled his grandson like a stat boosted Pokémon, "Alright, alright. Settle down everyone. Now, I'm sure everyone is briefed, correct?"

Emily calmed down at the wise professor's voice and folded her arms. "My uncle told me about it."

Mary raised her hand afterward. "My parents were told by Ms. Ketchum."

Professor Oak seemed to take that as enough. "Well alright; come along you four," He said as he turned back into the lab, "Just because none of you can begin your journeys, doesn't mean I can't teach you about the exciting World of Pokémon."

All the kids followed after Professor Oak. However, Ash stopped in place before he turned his head and saw his mother silently wave goodbye with a smile. Ash, seeing that it was time for his mom to leave, went back out and hugged her.

"Thanks, Mom."

Delia was momentarily surprised, but returned the hug to her son with a warm embrace. "Now be good. And clean yourself up when you come home later."

The raven-haired boy broke the hug and ran back inside, talking as he did. "I will! See ya later mom!"

When Ash closed the door behind him, Delia couldn't help but feel as if her son was already leaving on his journey.

And just like that, three years did pass by. The four kids practically had a secondary school with Professor Oak, but with more focus on Pokémon than anything else. It was much like going on a journey without having to leave the ranch. The large acres held many, many types of Pokémon that the kids could experience with. They learned much from the renowned scientist, who was clever enough to teach some of the most amazing things such as Mega Evolution and Z-crystals, and even had a Nurse Joy come in to teach how to care for sick Pokémon and themselves, so it felt like a better version of Pokémon School.

There were even days where Ash's abysmal luck had brought secluded adventures in the ranch. (Just note that Professor Oak has now made sure there would be no future 'Civil Wars' among all the water Pokémon in the lake.)

However, now all four kids were 13 years of age and waiting for Professor Oak to give them official starter Pokémon.

…

Ash tilted his head as he stared at a very intricate machine, or rather… what was in it: a Pokémon Egg. The young boy checked the instruments of the machine, but the signs showed that it was just still inactive, pretty much the same as it has been the past year they first received the egg from Professor Rowan, Samuel Oak's colleague.

It was supposed to have a rare Pokémon that could actually sense emotions, but the egg has shown no signs of hatching. Though Ash couldn't help but feel a sense of pity towards the egg. He didn't know why, but ever since it came, he had done nothing but talk to it as if it was already awake, treating it as he would his friends.

Well a good friend anyway. His 'friends' he was 'studying' with were… different. Gary outright called him dumb for talking to an egg and that he was wasting his time; Emily didn't really care either way; and Mary… well she was more supportive, but Ash could tell that the idea of talking to an egg because it seemed lonely didn't quite sit well with her—or did it? Ash could never understand girls. But could eggs really feel alone?

Either way, Ash felt a bond with it. He hoped that it would hatch and they could play together, but seeing as how he was going to be traveling soon, it didn't look like it was going to happen.

Then, Professor's voice echoed through the building. "Alright, kids, come here!"

Ash turned back to the egg after hearing the professor's voice. "Alright, buddy. I gotta go, but I'll come back, I swear!"

The raven-haired boy left the incubation machine, not knowing that as he left, the usually inactive egg jumped once as he left.

Ash followed the Professor's voice toward the living room as he and the others all gathered around.

"Now these three years have been long," The man sighed. He originally thought having more hands to help here would make his life easier, not harder with Ash and Gary's daily battles with some Pokémon in the ranch they could convince to battle with, Gary and Emily's constant bickering, and he wasn't even going to mention the times Mary 'suddenly lost balance' when Ash was around during precision needed tasks. "But finally, you are all at the age where you can become trainers."

The kids all gave a short cheer before Professor Oak continued. "As such, the new batch of starter Pokémon will appear tomorrow."

From loud cheering, to stunned silence, the children stared at the old man with anticipation.

Professor Oak saw the look on all of them. From being disappointed, they had now all prepared themselves for their journey that was just tomorrow. It was alright for them to feel a little nervous, they would finally leave this small but peaceful town and into the world they had been preparing for three years.

However, after two more seconds, Gary broke the silence with a laugh.

"Finally! No offense, gramps. This place was fun, but now I can finally make it so I can be a Pokémon Master!"

Ash was first to jump up with passion. "Hey! If anyone's going to be Pokémon Master, it's going to be me!"

Gary smirked at the black-haired boy's declaration. "How can you say that if I beat you more times while you had other people's Pokémon!"

Ash gripped his fists and pointed back to his rival. "They weren't your Pokémon either!"

"Ha!" Emily cried out to catch everyone's attention. "No offense, Gary. You're good, but you're nowhere near my level. If anyone's going to be the first Pokémon Master, it's going to be me!"

Mary stayed silent, but she too had reasons why she wanted to be a Pokémon Master.

Professor Oak laughed at the four of them. "Such a lively bunch you are. Now go home, all of you. Come here early tomorrow morning at six for your first official partner. Be sure to get a good night's rest and don't be late."

"I can't believe I'm late!" To say that Ash Ketchum ran out of his home would be an understatement. The boy was practically possessed by a million Olympic runners as he instantly realized he accidentally destroyed his alarm clock during his sleep.

The young teen didn't even bother changing out of his clothes before going in speeds athletes would be jealous of.

Eventually, Ash ran up to Professor Oak's lab at noon and almost busted through the door.

"P-Professor Oak!" He gasped and went in.

As he came in, he instantly saw three empty bowls and small floor pillows on a table with Professor Oak seemingly cleaning up the living room.

The professor himself seemed startled as he turned around. But when he saw it was Ash who had finally come in he sighed and frowned. "Oh, Ash, of all the times to oversleep."

The words almost sounded like defeat. However, even though the young teen was having this horrible feeling, he still asked what he hoped wasn't obvious by now. "A-Are there any Pokémon left!?"

The professor sighed and shook his head. "If you were here five hours earlier, you would have known."

"Known what?" The raven haired boy swallowed his spit instinctively after repeating that.

Professor Oak looked at the boy with the most comforting face he could muster. "Ash, there was a miscommunication with the order," The professor began with a frown. "I asked for four Pokémon, and I only received three."

Time seemed to stand still for the boy with crazier bed hair than usual. Considering the facts that there was four of them; that there were only three Pokémon; and that he was super late; everything was adding up to a bad answer.

"What?"

*Crack.*

"We did wait for you, but unfortunately you took too long. I told everyone that came early that there were only three Pokémon, and seeing as how there were only three trainers at the time…"

*Crack.*

"Everyone got theirs already?" Ash asked in disbelief. But at the back of his mind, he might have done the same seeing how badly he wanted to start his journey.

"I'm sorry Ash, there's no Pokémon left."

*Crack!*

"Is there really none?" Ash asked almost desperately. He couldn't believe it, he had missed his trainer journey—the thing he had been dreaming off his entire childhood ever since he knew what dreams were—for the second time because of circumstances beyond his control.

For the first time in his life, Ash wondered if he really was cursed. At first, he didn't really mind it, it was an inconvenience to him, but he sometimes enjoyed the adventures that would come to greet him at random intervals, but now? Had his strange luck finally screwed him over?

*CRACK!*

At that time, both people had heard the almost glass cracking sound even where they were from.

Then there was frantic beeping in the room where the Incubator was. Ash and Oak quickly ran to the machine to see that the egg was now bouncing around inside the incubator! Soon the egg suddenly stopped its erratic movement and then started to glow brightly. As the light died down, the egg had cracked into pieces, revealing the Pokémon inside.

With a piece of egg on its head, a newborn Riolu yawned widely while wiping his eyes with his right paw.

"Oh wow, you're finally awake!" Ash said as he instantly went to work on lifting the incubator and picking up the small blue jackal. "Nice to meet you, buddy!"

The small Pokémon seemed to look at Ash and smiled very wide at the presence of the boy with bed hair that made his hair look even crazier.

Ash then sighed and looked back to Professor Oak. "Any way professor, when can I get the next batch of Pokémon?"

The older man blinked. "Excuse me? Are you going to wait? I was under the impression that you would ask me to let you take Riolu for your journey."

Ash looked like he really wanted to, but then he looked to Riolu and started rubbing his head. "I do, I really want to. But you said that Riolu was important for your research right? I don't want to make things harder for you."

That surprised the old man. Here was a boy so desperate for his own journey, but he would not sacrifice the sake of others for his own personal gain. Samuel Oak did not expect such a mature act from the teenager Ash.

… Maybe… just maybe… Ash was more than ready for his Journey than he originally thought. He may not be the most responsible and a bit of an air head, but there was clear potential of a good person in the budding teen.

"Ash," The professor began which caught the attention of the boy. "Would you like Riolu as your starter?"

"W-What?! B-But you said he was for research?" Ash asked with confusion.

The old man gave a small smile. "It's alright," he then bowed and lifted a hand towards the Riolu who also seemed to study Professor Oak for a second before smiling and putting his paw on the hand of the older man. "I believe this little one would be better observed out in the world where there are countless people than just being locked here in the lab."

When Oak looked up, he saw this unbelieving look on Ash's face. "So how about it? Would you like to start your journey?"

Ash looked like he was about to tackle the old man and repeatedly thank him for the offer. However, instead of actually doing that, the raven-haired boy looked back at Riolu.

"Hey… Riolu…" He inhaled deeply. "Would you like to come with me on my journey?"

The small emanation Pokémon seemed to tilt his head before he smiled and nodded at the question.

Ash was so elated, he scooped up the Riolu and hugged both him and the professor and the blue Pokémon in one go and then proceeded to thank them both repeatedly.

"Alright, alright, calm down boy." Professor Oak patted the boy's head. "Now come on, get changed already, you shouldn't start your journey looking like you just got out of bed."

Ash then remembered he was still in his pajamas and realized his mom must have been worried for him. He turned to Riolu and extended out his hand to his new partner. "Come on, Riolu! I gotta introduce you to mom!"

However, neither Ash nor Professor Oak noticed the emanation Pokémon's eyes glowing for the briefest of seconds when he got on top of Ash's shoulder and touched his head.

"I'm sorry I didn't wake you up sooner, sweetie," Delia said as she and Professor Oak were seeing the young boy off at the edge of Pallet Town. "I was tending to the garden all morning! I thought you left earlier and just assumed you were doing some last minute errands with the professor!"

"It's fine mom." The young boy didn't hold it against her since it was mostly his fault to begin with. The new trainer looked over to Professor Oak.

The older man handed all the essentials for a new trainer, their Poké Dex, five Poké Balls, a guide handbook, and a note pad and a pen for writing data on how Riolu acts.

"Well my boy, that's everything." Professor Oak finished.

Ash inhaled deeply and then went to give his mom one more great, big hug. "I'm going to miss you mom."

The mother seemed to be doing her best not to cry. However, all the strength in the world was failing her. "I'm going to miss you, more. Promise me you'll change your underwear every day?"

"Mooommmm!" Ash playfully pushed himself away from his mother after saying that.

Yet, Delia bent over and kissed her son on the forehead, knowing that it will be a while before she could do that again.

"Be safe."

"Mom, I'm always safe!" The unluckiest boy in Pallet Town claimed proudly as he and then Riolu ran up towards the hill, waving goodbye to the two of them.

Ash turned back towards the hill, excitement building up as he was soon to pass by the sign that said, Welcome To Pallet Town!

"This is it, Riolu!" Ash cried out as he saw the sign in mere feet away from him and growing closer by each movement. "We start our adventure here! Are you ready!?"

'Yeah!'

Ash's first step out of his town, his first step to his epic journey he's been anticipating ever since he was young, was finally taken—and then halted at practically the same time as the young boy turned around towards the small blue Pokémon in disbelief.

"Did you… just… say something?"

The Riolu seemed surprised and tilted his head. 'Uh yes? Is something wrong, Ash?' A young but serene voice that sounded like it was coming in Ash's head that sounded nothing like his own answered him.

'Ash?' The Riolu began as he noticed his new Trainer do a strange action. 'Why is your mouth hanging so wide like that? Are you trying to eat something?'

It seemed like that not only did Ash's journey begin, the young trainer's strange misfortune was also just getting started.

+Author Notes+

Hello everyone! This is my first Fan Fic! I hope you all like it. I've always enjoyed Ash Stories, but I always wanted to put my own twist in it. I know Riolu stories are done a lot, but I couldn't help but feel excited when reading them.

Edit: Found a fun trick to help me find out more typo mistakes. There probably still are, but working on.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this story. I kindly ask you to favorite, follow, and review this story please.