A young-looking boy hurriedly rushed forwards down the road he looked barely 10 years old and had tanned skin, black spikey hair, and strange lightning bolt-shaped markings on his cheeks, he was in nothing but his pajamas as he rushed through the dirt paths of his home town, you see this young man was Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and he was currently in a panic as he had woken up late on the day he was supposed to receive his starter.
"Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur I don't care which just leave me one!" the soon-to-be trainer said as he saw the ranch come into view a small group of people had gathered in front of the building.
Slowing down Ash could see the crowd was crowding around and cheering for Gary Oak the grandson of Samson Oak he scowled at the sight of his former childhood friend, he had been friends with the fellow native of Pallet Town but at some point a few years ago he and Gary had been friends but he had started to pick on and berate Ash and Ash could never pin down the reason why Gary had done so but nowadays Gary would often torment him on sight.
"Well well well, Ashy Boy it's good to see you… not!" Including now.
"Hello, Gary I see you got your starter" Ash spoke in a low tone, the taunts and jabs had long since lost their edge on him but it hadn't stopped Gary from trying to get on his nerves, which he often succeeded in doing.
Grinning Gary twirled the ball containing his new teammate on his finger like a basketball "I see you've noticed I got the best starter WAY better than the one you're going to pick!" He proudly boasted causing Ash to grit his teeth.
"Oh, which did you pick?" He questioned Gary curiously, while he hated Gary with a passion he was a big fan of Pokémon and was always curious when one was brought up.
"Tch as if I'd tell you that you'll just have to find out when you see me win the Indigo League!" He exclaimed, pushing past Ash to get to a parked sports car quickly followed by a group of Cheerleaders.
Ash watched as Gary drove off in the sports car making him wonder when and how he learned to drive.
Shaking his head Ash turned to walk up the steps to the central lab only to stop himself before he could walk into the professor who had been silently standing behind him.
"Oh Sorry for being late Professor Oak my alarm clock broke and I woke up late" Ash explained bashfully rubbing the back of his head.
Shaking his head the elderly man sighed "It's fine Ash but I'm afraid you're too late the starters have all been taken" He said sadly causing the young man's face to fall.
"What!? I thought professors usually carry more than one set of starters?" He questioned remembering something Oak had said during a previous class he taught.
"Yes, usually a professor keeps more than one set of starter trio but because of a break-in at the breeders I was unable to obtain only a single trio and it will be a couple of months before they can start distribution of starters again, and currently I don't have any Pokémon on hand that I could hand out for you" He apologized, that was a semi lie he did have a Pokémon he could give Ash a Pikachu he had caught the day prior but Oak wasn't comfortable in giving it to Ash as it had proved extremely hostile to him when he tried to stop it from chewing on the power cords of his lab and had attacked him, luckily his Venusaur had stopped it before he could be seriously harmed, He just wasn't gonna give a newbie trainer such an aggressive Pokémon as a starter.
"I understand professor," He said sadly, hanging his head before turning around and walking away from the older man who felt terrible about forcing him to wait but his worry about his safety overwhelmed him more.
Ash walked home saddened by his luck and berating himself saying he should've listened to his mother the night before then he might have gotten the chance to get a starter. Walking home he entered to see his mother who was surprised to see him so down.
"What's wrong Ash didn't get the starter you wanted?" Delilah guessed, she didn't know what upset her son but didn't expect the answer he gave her.
"Professor Oak didn't have any more starters because of a break-in at the breeders so I couldn't get a starter," He said sniffling, trying his best not to cry.
"Oh I'm so sorry honey" She apologized and took her only son into her arms hugging him tightly and trying to comfort her troubled son.
"It's fine mom It's my fault I should've listened to you when you told me to go to sleep" He assured sniffling again before pulling from the hug and beginning to head upstairs "I'm gonna get dressed," he said before disappearing up the stairs, Delia watched worried and saddened for her son.
After having a rather silent breakfast Ash decided to go for a walk, now adorned in more than his pajamas (It's his outfit from the Indigo League portion of the anime) hands tucked into his pockets as he walked around the edge of Pallet but being careful to stay within the boundary of his home town he was sulking still.
"Ugh I should've listened to mom, then I would've at least got the chance to pick a starter" He chastised himself, he had been doing this basically since hearing the bad news, he should've listened to his mom the night before, mothers knew best after all.
As he continued to berate himself he approached a thicket of woods on the outskirts of the town, nobody was around so he was the only one to hear the loud cry of a Pokémon calling out in pain and stumbling at the sudden burst of loud noise. Looking to the source of the noise Ash questioned.
"Was that a Pokémon?" He questioned, of course, it was a Pokémon but it had been so loud and didn't sound anything like the Pokémon that would typically call this part of the woods around Pallet home frankly the area around was only ever filled with Rattata, and Pidget but he remembered someone from Pallet claimed to have seen a Scyther once several years ago but nobody ever believed him. Looking around the small clearing, Ash's curiosity got the best of him, and he carefully slipped into the woods, where he thought the sound originated.
Ash walked for a while, after about 15 minutes of walking he began to think if he should turn back, questioning if he heard what he did but soon after pushing through a bush he confirmed that he did as he broke into a small clearing where atop a small boulder was a Machamp, the superpower Pokémon looked badly injured and had scratches covering its body was speckled in scorch marks indicating it had been burned likely from a strong Fire-Type the bottom left arm was limp against the stone its right eye was screwed shut and was bruised badly indicating a black eye.
The Pokémon was injured badly and from the visible injuries they had been attacked by at least two different Pokémon, Ash looked worried for the Fighting-Type and reflexly took a step forwards to try and get a better look and maybe help it out but didn't see the stray stick in front of him and stepped on it creating a loud sound of it cracking under his weight.
The mighty Fighting Type panicked standing or at least trying to stand as the sudden burst of movement caused him to stumble and fall to one knee he was in even worse shape than Ash had assumed.
"Hey Hey Hey I am not here to hurt you," Ash said, raising his hands in the universal sign of surrender, Ash saw the panic in Machamp's eyes. "I'm here to help, can I try and help?" He asked taking a few tentative steps forward "I don't know what happened to you but I want to help you" He assured taking a few steps closer to the Superpower Pokémon, the Machamp was worried and in panic at the presence of Ash but slowly calmed down slightly as it couldn't sense any hostile intent from this human nor could see any hidden goal in his eyes so he decided to let this human try and help It would be better than trying to do it by himself, as it relaxed a spike of pain shot up its body and it began to collapse to the ground in a mixture of shock, pain, and exhaustion.
Ash saw this and rushed forwards to catch them before they could hit their heads on something, the large Pokémon's weight crashed into Ash almost sending him to the ground but managed to catch himself and lowered the giant mountain of muscle to the ground making sure to place the Pokémon in a position that would allow Ash to easily turn them to their side should he need to, Ash wasn't an expert in Medicine or First Aid but Oak had made sure that he knew enough First Aid knowledge in case of an emergency Ash could still remember what Oak told him at the beginning of that lesson.
"You're not always gonna be near a PokéCenter so knowing at least basic First Aid to treat you and your Pokémon in an Emergency will go a long way" Ash always trusted Professor Oak's words so he did his best to memorize everything he could, Ash wasn't the brightest kid when it came to science and mathematics but when it came to knowledge about Pokémon and how to take care of them he was a variable genius, he absorbed that kinda knowledge like a sponge.
Ash looked down at the Machamp who had fallen unconscious it seemed the injuries have finally taken their toll on it, Shrugging off his backpack Ash dug through it and pulled out a roll of bandages, several berries, and a handful of potions they weren't much but it would help him stabilize the injuries so he could carry the mon back to Oak's lab to heal them better hopefully.
First Ash used the few basic potions he had to hopefully heal up the wounds speckling the fighting type afterward he grabbed a bowl and mashed up 2 Oran Berries, A Sitrus Berry, and a Rawst berry to a fine greenish mush and then applied it to the burn wounds over his body and finally wrapping the injuries up with the bandages, he didn't have enough Oran Berries or Potions to fully restore the Machamp but at least this way he would be stable enough to transport.
Placing the items back in his bag he pulled them onto his shoulders before looking back down at the wild Pokémon and sighed… this was gonna take a while.
– 2 Hours Later –
Delia was worried her son had been gone for nearly three hours now and nobody and town had seen him in at least two hours one man said he saw Ash enter a patch of forest, after hearing this and realizing Ash didn't have a Pokémon to protect him a group of people who had Pokémon was ready to search for him.
"Wait there he is!" The call brought the attention of the small group of around 20 or so trainers to the figures that broke through the tree line it was Ash and the injured Machamp who at some point in the journey woke up and while hesitant to enter a human settlement but Ash managed to convince him that this was the best course of action if he wanted to recover.
"Ash!" Delia and a worried Professor Oak were the first ones to rush forwards "What happened?" they both asked in unison but each asked for different reasons, Delia was worried for her son while Oak was worried for the injured Pokémon. Ash described to them what happened from hearing the cry of pain to escorting the burly mon back to Pallet. The people who had gathered to search for him were glued to his interesting but brief story.
Approaching the duo Oak spoke "Well hearing your story and seeing the way you've stabilized the injuries of Machamp here despite no prior experience I must say I'm impressed" He praised causing a bout of blush to come from the teen before he stumbled as the Machamp accidentally put more weight on Ash "Uh can I get some help?" He questioned, Oak quickly approached and took the Machamp onto his shoulder, and began to take on some of the weight.
"Here let's take Machamp to my Lab so I can heal him," Oak said, the mention of being healed caused the wild Pokémon to relax somewhat allowing Ash and Oak to guide him to this "lab" his eyes glancing down at the young man that had initially patched him up he believed he was called Ash at least that's what the two other humans called him with thankful eyes.
The walk to the lab took around 5 minutes due to it being nearby, Ash helped the Machamp onto a medical table, seeing it being frightened likely due to the unfamiliar machinery Ash placed a hand on its bulky shoulder to gain its attention Ash spoke "Don't worry Machamp I can understand you're scared and reluctant to be here but trust me Professor Oak is one of the best people I know he researches Pokémon like you to best help them out these machines around you" He motions to the machines around him "Are meant to monitor your health and wellbeing to ensure you're recovering properly" He explained and silently cheered as Machamp calmed down.
"Champ Champ" He spoke for the first time since meeting "Ash" He was trying to say He'd trust this human called "Professor Oak", he knew humans couldn't understand him but knew they could at least understand the emotions behind and by the bright smile he got from Ash he could tell his words got through to the trainer.
"Are you hungry I can see if Professor Oak has something for you to eat" Ash questioned the mention of food earned Ash a loud grumble from the champ's stomach which made its face darken in a bright red color in embarrassment, chuckling "I'll take that as a yes, I'll go get us something to eat while the Professor heals you up alright?" He questioned after receiving a nod he turned to Oak who was working applying a few patches across the Machamp's body "Mind if I use your kitchen Professor?" he asked.
"Oh go ahead Ash I don't mind, just clean up after yourself" He advised Ash, nodded and left, allowing the professor to work in peace while Machamp watched as Ash left to prepare some kind of food. His eyes then turned to the Professor who moved to a machine.
"Don't worry those patches allow my machines to stimulate your body to properly heal you, it's kinda like a potion but it uses energy instead of chemicals you should be feeling better soon, it'll take a few days before you recoup your energy but the injuries should be gone by the end of the day?" he said, smiling kindly turning to face his patient who nodded in understanding.
"Now If you don't mind me asking what caused this kinda damage to you?" Oak questioned seriously before motioning to his side where an Alakazam stood or well-floated next to him "My Alakazam is here to translate for you so don't worry about me not being able to understand what you're saying" he said kindly as he could. Reluctantly the Machamp told him what had happened.
It had used to be a trainer's Pokémon. Still, after one too many losses he was released into the wild where he would fend for himself for the better part of a year when he was attacked by a group of humans who used their Pokémon to burn and injure him badly, from what Oak could gather they were poachers, he managed to escape and hide for a few days before making his way to where Ash had found him and now here he was feeling a lot better than he had previously.
After a minute to ponder and process the information Oak stood up "I'm sorry to hear what happened to you Machamp but I have to go for now I'm going to go report these poachers to the League so they could be brought to justice, Ash should be back with the food soon" The Machamp nodded watching the older man who left the room with the same stern expression quickly followed by his Alakazam leaving him alone to his thoughts, he began to think and ponder on what had happened the last few hours after his original trainer released him he thought he'd never trust another human doubly so after those poachers attempted to catch him the day prior but then here comes this "Ash" kid who didn't hesitate to help and made no attempt to see him instead patching him up and carrying him somewhere to recover correctly and the brief action with the professor made him question his beliefs towards humans, it was too soon to confirm but he at least felt safe with these two humans at the very least.
As he thought the door opened again a few minutes later and Ash reappeared holding two plates of curry "Hey I hope you're feeling better" he said entering the small room and holding a plate of the rice dish out to the Fighting-Type who gladly took it and began to down the dish having not eaten in awhile, Ash chuckled at the eagerness "I'm glad you enjoy it, I didn't have the time to make it from scratch so I used a couple of pack of prepackaged curry Professor Oak had" Ash spoke before noticing the Fighting-Type had already finished their curry and by the look on their face he could tell they were wanting more sighing Ash offered his untouched plate of curry which Machamp gladly took and eat as well.
"If you're still hungry after that plate I can make more" Ash offered to watch the fighting type gulp down the curry hungrily, after he finished that bowl Ash escaped to the kitchen to prepare a few more plates to satiate the hunger of the fighting type, it took nearly the whole pot but he managed to do so without having to make a second pot of curry and had just enough for his plate.
After eating Ash stood up and stretched "It's getting pretty late" He said bringing Machamp's attention to him "I got to go home" He said turning to leave but stopped once he saw Machamp's expression, it looked at and from the look in his eyes Ash could tell he didn't want him to go, stopping himself Ash pondered for a moment.
"If you want I can ask Professor Oak and my mom if I can stay the night here It's not a guarantee though" He offered and with the look on Machamp's face brightened he knew he made the right choice of providing this.
Ash left the room and it didn't take long to confirm with his mother that Professor Ash would spend the night in the lab, it wasn't the first time he had done this but it's been a good few years since he spent the night here but after seeing Machamp's unease made Oak's and his mother's decision to let him stay rather easy. Ash slept in the medical cot next to Machamp who after being given a blanket and allowed to rest in safety.
– The Next Morning –
Machamp was feeling much better, the pain from the injuries was gone and Oak removed the bandages Ash applied showing the injuries had faded away allowing Machamp to go outside to get some fresh air while a bit numb to where the patches were applied he felt a lot better than he had been in days.
While outside Machamp decided to some practice and began to work out and practice his moves on several boulders and trees, due to previously being owned by a trainer before being abandoned so he had a decent well of moves and knew how to use them, but currently he had been trying to learn Fire Punch but have been having difficulty as all he could manage to do is coat his knuckles in fire instead of his whole fist and the fire would always fade before he could land the punch.
"Looks like you're having difficulty there" the sudden voice caused Machamp to jump and turn to the source only to calm down when he saw Ash with a plate of sandwiches in his hands.
"Sorry for spooking you it's almost lunch time so I made a few sandwiches for sharing," He said holding the plate out towards Machamp who gladly grabbed a few of them and sat down to eat them, greedily swallowing them down.
Laughing Ash took one for himself and sat down munching on his lunch, they were simple sandwiches with pickles, ham, and mayo but they would be filling especially with the amount Machamp was eating, the plate was clear in only a few minutes most of which was eaten by Machamp with Ash only eating a couple before the plate was cleaned.
"I couldn't help but notice you were trying to learn a move it looked like Fire Punch if I am correct" Ash observed, in truth, he had watched Machamp for a minute and saw its repeated attempts at the elemental punch. The Machamp nodded and rubbed the back of its head bashfully with a light blush.
"Champ Ma Ma Cham Champ" They spoke briefly forgetting the human can't fully understand him but it seems his intention made it through as Ash nodded and thought.
"You're having difficulty? Maybe I can help?" Ash offered with a smile, perking up the Machamp grinned and gave a nod before standing up and returning to his place in front of the boulder he had been practicing on.
"Alright let's begin with you trying to throw a normal punch" Ash began standing nearby, nodding the Machamp threw a simple punch forward which slammed into the rocky surface but given its absurd physical strength, he sent the boulder back a couple of inches, if he was trying hard enough he could likely crack the boulder in two. Nodding "Alright try and throw a Fire Punch now please" Ash urged.
Machamp concentrated trying to cloak its fist in the fire but once again only managed to coat his knuckles and only leaving a barely noticeable scorch mark on the stone's surface this frustrated the fighting type causing the fire around his knuckles to briefly increase in size before Machamp extinguished them which Ash noticed.
"I think I got an idea" Ash spoke up causing Machamp to perk up "I want you to try and summon that fire again" Confused the Machamp did so again only coating his knuckles in a little flame.
"Alright now close your eyes and focus on the feeling you had after throwing your punch, that frustration you felt" Ash instructed, doing as he was asked Machamp closed his eyes and began to focus, Targeting his earlier frustration on not being able to perform the move.
"Now focus on that feeling and isolate the burning frustration you feel whenever you fail that move and I want you to try and isolate it" Ash described miming a bubble with his hands.
Doing as he was asked he bubbled that frustration and anger and could feel a deep-seated heat in his core and awaited further instruction.
"Now I want you to push that feeling to your hands and try and keep it there, try and imagine it as you're using it to fuel a fire" Ash described, he was doing his best to guide the fighting type into the proper actions but given this was his first time doing something like this but hopefully it wouldn't be his last.
The Machamp did as instructed channeling this frustration into his clenched fist and pulling it up and through his body and focusing it onto his fist he could feel it heat up and when he opened his eyes he could see his fist cloaked in fire which sputtered out due to his surprise and glee.
"You did it!" Ash clapped happily cheering for the Machamp "You managed to coat your fist all you need to do is keep your fist covered while you throw a punch" Ash instructed patting the fighting type on the shoulder to congratulate him.
"Why don't you go ahead and practice that, I wish I could stay longer but my mom wants to see me," Ash said smiling before noticing the saddened look on Machamp's face "Don't worry I'll be back later tonight, my mom said I can sleep here until you're healthy enough to go back into the wild," He said missing the contemplative look on Machamp's face, Ash walked away waving to Machamp as he disappeared inside the lab door, as Ash left Machamp began to think about the curiosity he held about Ash, don't humans typically go on some kind of a journey? Ash seemed the right age for a human to go on one, he also seemingly didn't have any Pokémon of his own he originally believed he had simply left them at home or in their Poké balls but he hadn't shown any sign of having his Pokémon which confused him greatly, he needed answers and luckily he had a source he could talk to.
After thinking silently for a while he walked into the lab and searched for the one person he knew who could answer his questions, after searching for a while he found his quarry, Professor Oak the 50-year-old man was in his lab typing away at his personal computer likely finishing up some kind of document Machamp didn't care about.
Noticing the superpower Pokémon Oak turned to him and smiled "Yes do you need something?" He questioned, Machamp tried to speak to him only for Oak to stop him "Hold on let me get my Alakazam to translate" He said digging around his coat pocket and pulling out a weathered ball sending out the telekinetic Pokémon who was briefed by its trainer on what is going on.
"Champ champ cham Macham Champ," Machamp asked.
"He is asking about that other human that visits often, Ash Ketchum"* The Alakazam translated confusing Oak.
"What about Ash? Is something wrong?" Oak asked concerned, Machamp shook their head in a negative response before asking the question that bothered him for the last half hour.
"He's asking If Ash Ketchum was gonna go on a journey and if he has any Pokémon"* Alakazam relayed to Oak, hearing this question Oak's face fell.
"Well he planned to go on a journey and was supposed to get his starter today, but due to the fact there were 3 other trainers that came in before him and got to pick their starters first, I normally carry extra sets of starters but due to a break-in at the breeders I have been incapable of obtaining more than one trio at a time, so since Ash was late he's gonna have to wait for a couple of months before he can officially go on his journey" Oak explained sadly, Machamp was in stunned silence at this reveal.
Noticing the silence of the humanoid Oak asked "Is something wrong?" He questioned, the Machamp said something before promptly leaving turning to his Alakazam he got the translation.
"He said he needs to think"* Was the simple response only making the professor more confused than he previously was.
Later that night Machamp was resting in the medical cot provided by Oak but this time not hooked to the recovery machine but one set to monitor his vitals while he slept to ensure his body was recovering properly, true to his word had returned and was currently slumbering in the cot next to him but Machamp himself was wide awake pondering to himself about the information he had obtained earlier in the day predominantly about Ash and his unfortunate situation turning to face his savior Machamp pondered for a few more moments before standing up and pulling the sensors off his body and leaving the room.
Machamp searched for a while but found Oak who looked disheveled and panicked as he seemingly rushed to the medical bay, upon seeing the superpower Pokémon standing Oak placed a hand on his chest and took a deep breath confusing the Pokémon.
"You scared the daylights out of me!" He exclaimed once he was calmed down enough "I was woken up by the alarms in my labs saying it couldn't detect your life signs and I panicked thinking you've gone into shock or flatlined" He explained once he saw the Pokémon's confusion, Ah that explained the hurried and panicked expression before.
"You bout gave me a heart attack is there a reason you're up at this late of an hour?" Oak questioned once he recovered from the mild panic attack he had suffered, he watched Machamp try and mime a throwing action taking a few minutes to realize he wanted him to release a Pokémon likely asking for him to send out his Alakazam meaning he wanted to talk.
Oak dug into his labcoat pocket and retrieved his Pokéball and sent out the designated translator Machamp relayed his plan to it and Oak.
– The Next Morning –
Ash awoke in the morning and went to prepare breakfast when he noticed two things one was the lack of the Machamp from his cot and two a small note on the superpower Pokémon's former cot, confused Ash approached and grabbed the note and read it.
"Ash please come to my lab I got a surprise for you" it was Oak's handwriting, this just confused Ash more, where was Machamp? And what is this surprise?
Ash makes his way to the lab area of the building, specifically, the area where he was supposed to receive his starter, Ash could tell this as there was a podium with divots for PokéBalls though there shouldn't be any PokéBalls given the starters had all been chosen there was surprisingly one in one of the divots.
Oak stood nearby with a smile on his face "Good morning Ash I hope you slept well" He spoke.
"Uh, Professor where is Machamp? And what is the surprise you sPoké of in your notes?" Ash questioned deciding that knowing where Machamp was was more important than this supposed surprise but that doesn't mean he wasn't curious about this surprise.
"He's fine don't worry Ash but I hope you're ready cause a suitable Pokémon to act as your starter has been found" Oak sPoké which made Ash's face lit up he briefly forgot about the missing quad-armed brawler. Seeing the excitement on the soon-to-be trainer's face he chuckled and motioned Ash to take the single ball on the podium.
Ash was beaming with excitement as he grabbed the lone PokéBall containing his starter while he didn't know what was inside the ball he didn't care, he loved all Pokémon so he would've been happy with a Magikarp or Rattata or a Caterpie so long as they'd be willing to be his partner on his quest.
"Come on out!" He called releasing his new partner from the small, as the red energy formed the shape of the unknown Pokémon Ash's face of excitement became full of confusion and surprise.
"Machamp!" The PokéBall's occupant called once it was released revealing itself as the missing Machamp, Ash was confused but excited as he embraced his partner with a hug "Machamp! I was so worried when I didn't see you in your cot this morning!" he exclaimed as the superpower Pokémon hugged him backed with a smile glad to know his trainer cared about him.
Chuckling at the sight Oak sPoké "Machamp approached me late last night with the idea of him becoming your starter, while normally I wouldn't be giving out such a strong Pokémon as a starter but considering your unique situation and the fact Machamp was wanting to join you I see no harm so long as you two be careful" Oak advised.
"Don't worry Oak I'm sure with Machamp here we'll be safe unless we get mobbed by Flying or Psychic-Types" Ash half joked knowing it was a possibility but unlikely one so they were careful.
"Anyways Ash let me give you these," He said pulling out what appeared to be a misshapen PokéDex from a small case and handing it to Ash.
"Here is your PokéDex it's a special model straight from Alola" Oak spoke handing it over to Ash who looked at the device weirdly, it was a bulky device compared to the PokéDex he knew as he was about to point this out it turned on revealing a smiling face "Helllloooo!" It cried out startling Ash causing him to scream and drop the offending item, Machamp pushed his trainer behind itself ready to attack should the PokéDex prove hostile.
"Ow!" The device yelled as it landed on the tiled floor before pulling itself and into the air "That was highly unnecessary!" The Dex exclaimed floating around the Pokémon and trainer duo.
Chuckling at the scene Oak spoke "I'm sorry I should've explained sooner, this is a Rotom Dex it's a PokéDex which has been specifically designed to house a Rotom, it's a more modern design to my famous device, it was designed by the professor of the Alolan region Kukui I requested one be sent here to act as your PokéDex, think about it as an apology for not being able to provide a starter until now" he said, Machamp stepped aside once he was sure the RotomDex wasn't hostile allowing Ash to approach it.
"Hey RotomDex I'm sorry for dropping you, you scared me so I was kinda panicked" He apologized to the floating device who grinned "No problemo Ashie Boy! I understand sorry being so loud I was in that box since yesterday so I was excited to finally get out that I forgot that RotomDexes aren't common in Kanto yet" the device explained rubbing the back of its casing with one of its fins/limbs Ash didn't know what they were called.
Oak cleared his throat getting the attention of the duo "I'm glad to see you two are getting along but RotomDex why don't you tell Ash about your features outside the basics?" He asked directing Rotom to speak, and the face on the screen grinned massively.
"You got it Professor I don't know the name of it!" He exclaimed before turning to his owner "I have many functions most PokéDexes could only hope to dream of! Assuming they had the capability of hope and could think" The Dex boasted.
"Besides the basic ability to scan Pokémon like every PokéDex I have a built-In map of every region from Kanto to Paldea, I have a Poké Finder which is a fancy name for a built-in camera connected to the internet that allows me to post your PokéPhotoes to the PokéBook, assuming you have an account and want to post photos of your Pokémon, and a portable PokéBall transporter and phone so even if we're in the middle of nowhere you can give the Doc a call and have your Pokémon switched out" RotomDex spoke quickly but Ash was able to catch the details and beamed.
"You're amazing RotomDex!" He exclaimed amazed by the capabilities of the sentient device, hearing the praise the Dex puffed out its chest and grinned "I know right?" It seems he had a bit of an ego too.
"Anyways Ash why don't you have him scan Machamp and see what moves it knows and its level" Oak suggested.
"Alright, RotomDex show us what you can do!" Ash directed, taking the command that Rotom aimed the lens towards the Machamp who took the chance to flex for the camera, Ash watched as an image of a Machamp appeared on the screen as RotomDex spoke.
"Machamp, The Superpower Pokemon, grasps its opponents with its four arms and twists them up in an intricate hold. People call it "the Machamp special. This Machamp is level 42 it knows Bulk Up, Seismic Toss, Dual Chop, Low Sweep, Knock Off, and Fire Punch"
"You're amazing Machamp!" Ash said hugging his partner who blushed at the genuine praise. "Hey what about me!?" RotomDex exclaimed incredulously having expected some praise as well.
Chuckling at his partner Ash pat it on the head ensuring it was also amazing fueling its ego again.
"Now Ash I think it's time for you to head home as your mother also has a few gifts for you," Oak said holding out a handful of PokéBalls and sending him on his way with a smile.
Ash took the offered balls and excited the building wondering what his mom could have for him, the Dex and Machamp followed suit behind him. The walk didn't take long maybe four or five minutes before they found the home Ash lived his entire life in.
"This is a rather nice home you got here" RotomDex spoke up with Machamp agreeing.
"Thanks my dad bought it and I and my mum live here" He informed walking up the stoop and going to knock on the door but before he could the door swung open and a certain 30-year-old woman pulled her son into a bone-crushing hug before he could have a chance to react and brace himself.
"Oh, Ash I'm so happy for you!" Delia cried picking her son up while he was gasping for air.
"Mom. Please. Can't breathe!" Ash stuttered kicking his legs, how his mother was so strong he'd never know, after a few more seconds Delia finally released her son.
"Sorry Ashy but I was excited, Oak told me about your new starter last night and I couldn't help but be happy for you" She explained.
"Oh that explains why you were so excited, anyways this is Machamp the starter Oak spoke of" Motions to Machamp who stood a few feet away watching the sweet mother and son scene "and this is RotomDex a PokéDex from the Alola region" Ash motions to the floating device.
"Nice to meetcha Ms. Ash" RotomDex waved from its spot floating around Machamp waiting to get going already bored with the simple interactions between mother and son the sight of the scientific device reminded Ash.
"Professor Oak said you had gifts?" He questioned his mother who brightened up.
"Yes Ash, I have a few things for you to take on your journey. First, I got you a picnic set from the Paldea region. It's a sturdy, lightweight set that includes a blanket, utensils, plates, and cups. You can use it for picnics, camping, or even just eating on the go. And from the Galar region, I got you a tent and a cooking pot. The tent is easy to set up and can accommodate two people comfortably, while the pot is durable and perfect for cooking meals while you're out in the wilderness," Delia explained as she retrieved the gifts from inside the house and handed them to Ash.
Ash looked at the gifts with a big smile on his face. "Thank you so much, Mom! These are amazing. They'll come in handy on my journey," he said, giving his mother a tight hug.
Delia hugged him back and then stood back, looking at her son with pride. "I'm so proud of you, Ash. You've come a long way and I know you'll do great things. Just remember to stay safe and come back home to me," she said, her voice choked with emotion.
"I will, Mom. I promise," Ash replied, a determined look on his face. He turned to Machamp and RotomDex. "Let's go, guys. We have a big adventure ahead of us!"
With that, Ash, Machamp, and RotomDex set off on their journey, eager to see what lay ahead. As they walked away from the house, Ash couldn't help but feel grateful for the love and support of his mother, and the amazing gifts that would make his journey a little easier. He knew that with Machamp and RotomDex by his side, and the love and support of his family, he could conquer any challenge that came his way.