Aim To Be A Pokémon Master
OCTOBER 1994
A six year old boy was walking down the hall of his elementary school. He wore a backpack, he had on shorts and a Pikachu t-shirt and he wore a hat. This boy's name was Ash Ketchum. And he wanted to be a great trainer like his father.
He was reading, watching, playing and even going to the Professor's lab all the time to learn all about Pokémon. Some of the kids thought it was weird, but he wants to become a Pokémon master. He doesn't have many friends in school. He has one friend named Jay, Jay was a very lovely boy who moved from Unova, When he met Ash. He told him about his goal about moving back and becoming a successful Gym leader. Ash hasn't told him yet that he wants to be a Pokémon Master. He thinks it's a dumb dream that he isn't going to achieve.
Ash and Jay were in class. He had got a Pokémon book from both his parents for Christmas last year, he was reading during break. Then, Jay walked up to him. "Is that the new Pokémon Encyclopedia?" Ash smiled and closed it, attaching a bookmark to it. "Yeah! I want to become a Pokémon Master when I turn ten!" His smile was wide and his brown eyes were shining brightly.
"Well." Jay said. "You have to work hard Ash, it will take years to reach that. And by the way." He paused for a second. "What is a Pokémon Master to you?" Jay added. Ash thought for a little bit, he didn't know what to say. "I… I think for me it is to win leagues and become Champion." he said happily.
Jay smiled. "Reasonable." Ash nods and smiles too, their teacher. Miss Jane walked into the classroom. Miss Jane was a tall and kind teacher, she had long brown hair and green eyes, she wore a nice white blouse and blue jeans. She wore Poké ball earrings. She wore a bag which had an Eevee on it—Her Pokémon partner. and a Charmander—Her starter Pokémon who she got from Professor Adam back when she was ten in the early seventies. (Professor Adam was the original Pokémon professor back in the sixties and seventies. But then got replaced by Professor Oak later on due to old age). "Good morning Miss Jane!" the class said. Ash put his encyclopedia in his desk, then they got started.
"Hey, Ketchup!" A boy said Ash looked up at his encyclopedia and sighed, he saw a boy with long brown hair, green eyes. He was a little bit chubby and he had a Jolteon with him. Ash knew that it wasn't his Pokémon, The boy got yelled at by his father to never bring his Pokémon to school again or he'll have to suffer the 'consequences.' whatever that meant, but Ash didn't worry about that. "What do you want, Trent?" he asked, still focusing on his book.
"What is that?" Trent asked. Ash looked up. "It's a Pokémon encyclopedia." he said. He looked down and kept reading. "You're still going on about that?!" Ash's heart dropped, he knew about his dream? Who told him? How many other kids knew that he wanted to become a Pokémon Master? He had to play dumb.
"Going on about what?" Ash asked. Trent was starting to get angry. Was he really this stupid? "Are you dumb, you will NEVER be a Pokémon trainer EVER! not someone like you can be one, with your brain always constantly thinking about them, there's gotta be something wrong with your head! Do you have a disability?!" Trent asked, pulling on his shirt. Ash kicked his legs. "Let go of me!" Ash struggled out of the bully's grip. "Put me down!" he said, still struggling. "Aww, you're no fun Ketchup!" he threw him down on the concrete. "See you around, stupid!" He said, walking away, leaving Ash sitting there Ash looked at the children playing with their Pokémon or the wild Pokémon. Ash sighed, he squeezed his eyes shut as tears started to form, the words were still floating around in his head.
Are you dumb? you will NEVER be a Pokémon trainer EVER! not someone like you can be one, with your brain always constantly thinking about them, there's gotta be something wrong with your head!
Ash took a shaky breath and sniffled. He thought that Trent was right, he would never achieve his dream. But; his father told him to never give up on it, keep working hard at it. Ash was ashamed of himself for crying, he wanted to be strong for his father, but how could he when this jerk was constantly getting under his skin?! And worst of all… It was working. Working a bit too well
Miss Jane noticed Ash sitting by himself. She walked over to her student. "Ash?" she said in worry for the boy. "Hi, Miss Jane…" he said, not looking up, he didn't want her to see him crying. But, the first grade teacher knew something happened, She saw everything that happened between him and Trent. "Ash, would you like to come inside with me? you're not in trouble. I want to talk to you in private."
Ash nodded and stood up, He walked into the school with his teacher and into the classroom. Ash sat at his desk, his arms were on his chin and he sighed. "What's wrong Ash?" She asked him. Ash was hesitant at first but he told her. Miss Jane listened. She was about to call his parents about the situation. Ash put his head on the desk and sat there. Miss. Jane walks up to the six year old and puts a hand on his back. "I'm so sorry this happened, listen. We will get this straightened out, do you want to stay here?" Ash nodded, but had something to tell her.
"Oh yeah, Miss. Jane. That Pokémon that Trent has isn't his. it's his dad's." Miss. Jame nodded, she was going to handle it. "Alright, Ash. I'll stay here with you." She said, Ash nodded and put his head down.
An hour after Recess. His friend, Jay, put his Pokémon encyclopedia on his desk. "Miss Jane, is Ash going to be alright?" A girl named Jordan asked. "Yes, he's going to be okay. He just needs a few minutes." Jordan nods.
A red 1989 pickup truck pulled up. Ash jumped in, closed the door, threw his backpack in the back and put on his seatbelt, Ash was looking out the window as they drove off to Pallet Town. It was an hour away from Vermilion City, The man driving was silent until he said something.
"So, your gonna be silent the rest of the drive home?" The man looks at him. The man's name was Keith Ketchum—Ash's father, he was the greatest Pokémon trainer—to him at least. Keith was a kind man with a big heart for all Pokémon. His Pikachu sat on the center console, Ash stared at his father and shook his head, looking down at his lap.
"Ash?" Keith broke the silence after a few seconds. The boy looked at him. His father's hair looked just like his. With green eyes, Keith towered at six foot two. He wore red and white fingerless gloves, A hat with a Poké Ball on it and a Poké ball T-shirt
"Pika?" his Pikachu asked his trainer's son. Ash smiled and petted it. "You're so cute!" Pikachu smiled and let out a cry that he was enjoying it. Ash smiled again before his father snapped him out of it.
"Did something happen at school today?"
Ash shook his head again and stayed silent, he was scared. Scared that he will get hurt by Trent the next day when he tells his father what had happened.
Ash and Keith made it back to the house in Pallet Town, Ash grabbed his stuff and he headed inside. Instead of going to the kitchen to give his mother a hug. He went upstairs to his room.
Ash sighed, he set his bag down and sat on his rolling chair. He grabbed his backpack and grabbed his Pokémon encyclopedia and opened it and continued reading it. Someone knocked on his door. "Yeah?" he asked.
"Ash?" It was his father's voice. "Can I come in?" Ash sighed and opened his door to his room. Keith walked in and sat on his bed. Ash climbed up the ladder and sat on it next to his father, Their feet both dangling off the edge.
Ash sighed as he looked at his father, Keith looked at him smiling softly. Without thinking, He hugged his father tightly and cried. He cried hard on him, holding onto his shirt, Keith took his hand and rubbed his back, Ash looked up with his tear stained face and said this; "I'm sorry."
Keith didn't know what he was hearing! why was he apologizing for? He didn't do anything wrong. "Why do you have to apologize?" Keith asked, Keith was looking at his son with his large green eyes. Ash sighed and wiped his tears, he looked up at him and he spoke.
"B-Because I'm crying… and you probably think I'm weak for doing that." Keith was shocked by that, he would never call his son weak, ever! especially for showing emotion. He put his hands on the boy's shoulders firmly, but gently. "Ash Ketchum." He started. "You are not weak, you are one of the strongest and bravest little boys ever. Now is that boy Trent bothering you again?"
Ash nodded and looked at the ceiling, he sighed and he thought of the hurtful words that he called him today. "He called me a bunch of mean things today, dad." Keith was intrigued by this. He wanted to know. "Oh? and what are those words, Ash." he asked, trying to keep calm. Ash took a deep breath and sighed. He wanted to say it, but he's scared that he might get in trouble. Well.. Here goes nothing. He took another breath and said it.
"He asked me am I dumb? and I will never be a Pokémon trainer ever!" He stopped to sniffle, he wiped some tears that were falling and continued "—A-And he told me that… Not someone like you can be one, with your brain always constantly thinking about them, there's gotta be something wrong with your head!" He said angrily.
"Ash…." Keith started. "There is nothing wrong with your head." Ash sighed and looked outside the window for a second. He thought of his diagnosis a few months ago. Delia and Keith took him to a Psychologist last year, and they found out what he had.
"What about my ADHD?" Ash asked his father. "I will never become a Pokémon trainer that has it! That's not a thing!" Keith couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ash wasn't thinking!
"Every trainer is different, Ash. I have ADHD too, but I became a champion of Kanto! But… I did lose it to Lance…. My point is, you don't need to be 'normal' to follow a specific goal, and you know why?" Ash shook his head.
"The map to your goal is inside yourself, Ash. Don't forget it. okay?" Ash nods and hugs his father.
Ash was at school the next day, he was at lunch eating the sushi that the school provided for the students. As he was finished, Ash put his trey to the side. Then. Someone walked up to him with a smirk on his face, Trent walked up behind him and spilled ice down his shirt, Ash shrieked at the cold cube sliding down his back, it was like getting hit with an ice type Pokémon move.
He glared at him as he laughed at him. He wanted to just leave the room. Then Trent said something that broke Ash. "Hey everyone! the weirdo wants to be a Pokémon master!" The kids laughed and pointed at Ash, Ash put his hat over his eyes and his hood up on his Pikachu hoodie he wore.
Ash wanted to run out of the cafeteria and back into the classroom. But he wanted to stand his ground. "Can you stop, Trent! just shut up, okay!" Trent taunted him more. "Alright, go cry to your momma and you papa you little weirdo!"
The boy clenched his fists, he was about to take a swing at this kid and leave him with a nasty black eye. But, he can't, he's too nice of a person to do that, he just left him alone. Ash just stepped out of the lunchroom, then his friend walked up to him.
"Ash! Ash, wait up!" Jay said, as he walked up to him. Ash didn't say anything as he went to the principal's office, the boy needed to call his father. Keith was home, his mother was working at her restaurant. So he had to call his father instead. He picked up the phone and dialed up the number pressing the buttons. It was ringing. Then, a voice on the other side said something.
"Hello?"
"Dad? Can you come get me from school?"
"What happened? Are you sick?"
"No. it's Trent… And I can't take it anymore, dad!"
Keith nodded and wrapped the towel around his shoulders, he and his Pokémon had just done a workout to help him and his Pokémon prepare for a league at Uniova in two weeks. But, he was happy to get his son no matter what the situation was.
"Alright, you want me to come and get you?" Ash was hesitant for a minute. He wanted to, but he didn't at the same time.
"No, it's fine… Sorry for bothering you." He put the receiver back on the phone and sighed. Jay felt bad for him, Ash knew he couldn't do this all on his own, he was only six! Ash slid to the floor, Jay sat with him then put a hand on his shoulder. Then an idea popped in Jay's head.
"Hey! I have an idea. Why won't we go to the Pokémon room? That'll calm you down." Ash smiled and nodded, he liked that idea, he liked that idea a lot.
Ash and Jay walked over to a room, it had a white, colorful door. It was like a Smeargle used the move sketch on it. Ash grabbed the handle and went into the room.
The room had tables, chairs, a black couch, bookshelves, and best of all, Ash's brown eyes lit up as he gazed upon a large open window so Pokémon can get in and out of the room so kids will play with them, Ash saw a Shinx enter the room, It jumped down and sat on the couch. Ash walked over to it and sat with it. It opened its eyes to reveal Ash with its gorgeous yellow eyes, Ash petted its soft fur as the Pokémon climbed on his lap and laid down. Ash smiled and kept petting it.
Jay walked over to the other side and picked out a book off the shelf. It read ME AND MY POKÉMON. It had a boy and his Pokémon, an Eevee, he sat down and read it.
Ash smiled as he saw some toys in a toy chest. Ash opened it and saw many different toys, he even saw a KeyStone! The KeyStone was connected to a necklace. It looked real. Ash held it in his hand, It wasn't a sphere like they use in battles, it was a half sphere, the other half was flat, Ash put it on and jumped up.
"Hey! I challenge you to a Pokémon battle!" Ash said, flipping his hat backwards like his father does,. He saw his father battle in Kalos a year ago and he won the 1993 Lumiose Conference. Ash and Delia were both sitting in the audience. Ash loved seeing his father battle, his father was the reason why he wanted to go out and travel the world and compete in the leagues.
"But, Ash, we don't have any Pokémon,"Jay said.
"It's pretend, Jay."he said, still smiling, Jay smiled also. He pretended to hold a Poké ball in his hand and threw it.
"Psyduck, go!"
"Pikachu, I choose you!" Jay knew that he was going to pick one of his father's Pokémon on his team.
"Phyduck, use Physic! It was super effective!" Jay said.
Ash smirked and called out an attack. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Jay then pretended to 'faint as Ash was victorious! "Oh, heck yeah!" Jay got up and the two of them laughed. Just then, Miss Jane opened the door.
"Oh, thank Arceus I found you two!" She said Ash and Jay explained the situation about what happened at lunch with Trent. How Ash didn't think about asking first before he can go to the front office to call his father. So, he and Jay forgot that they had to ask permission before doing anything.
"We're sorry, Miss Jane." Both Ash and Jay said.
"But, Trent dropped an ice cube down my shirt, so…I wasn't thinking so I walked out and went to the Principal's office and called my father."
"Isn't your father training for the Unova League?" she asked, Ash nodded his head and looked down at his 1994 white and black Jordan's that his father had bought him in Sinnoh when he traveled there with his friends. He looks up at her.
"Yes." He said as he looked at the Shinx in the room, it walked up to him and rubbed up against his left leg. "Hello." Ash smiled as he crouched down to his knees and pet it again.
"Shinx!" it cried happily as it was enjoying being petted. Ash smiled again as he took off the necklace he wore and put it back in the jewelry portion of the toy box. Miss. Jane then walked them back to class.
Ash and Jay both walked into the classroom and sat at their desks.
Ash was waiting for his father in the carpool line, Then Trent walked up to him, with his fathers Jolteon standing by his hip. Ash sighed and groaned loudly. "What do you want, Trent?! and I thought you got in trouble for bringing your—Oh I mean your father's Pokémon to school!"
"Shut up, Ketchup!" Ash glared at him. "It's Ketchum! how many times do I have to tell you!" Trent didn't like his tone very much, He turned his head over to Jolteon and used a command.
"Jolteon, use thunder!"
"Jolt?!" It asked as it looked at the boy standing in front of him. Ash didn't want this, he just wanted to go home! Where was his father?! Jolteon used thunder, then, out of nowhere someone pushed him out of the way. Ash got up then looked at who moved him. It was an adult who looked like Trent. Could this be his dad?
"So," The older man started. "This is where my Pokémon is! Trent! what were you thinking, you almost killed this boy!" His father turned to Ash. "I'm so sorry. Young man, are you alright?" Ash nods.
"What's your name?" He asked. "I'm Ash Ketchum!" he said confidently. The man nodded, then he recognized the name Ketchum. "Hey, are you by any chance related to Keith Ketchum, the Pokémon champion of the 1993 Lumiose Conference? I'm so sorry that my son has given you any trouble." he apologized.
"It's fine, but he's been making my life a living nightmare ever since he moved into my class! He's been making fun of my last name and he even put an ice cube down my shirt!"
His father glared at his son. "Trent? Is this true?" He asked sternly. Trent needed to think of a lie, and he needed to come up with it right now.
"No! I don't know what Ketchup is talking about!"
"Trent Klaskey!" his father scolded him. "What!" He yelled. His father glared at him with his gray eyes. Trent crossed his arms and glared. "Look at him, dad! there's gotta be something wrong with him!" His father wanted to slap him across the face, but he did that, Ash held back a laugh, he deserved it!
"Apologize to Ash, now!" Trent sighed and walked up to him, instead of apologizing, he punched him twice in the face—Once in the nose and another in the eye. And he got a black eye from the hit, Ash cried out in pain. Trent just hit a six year old in the face!
Twice.
Ash wished that his father could come and pick him up already. Just then, a miracle sent by Arceus himself, his father; Keith came just in time, Ash ran to the truck and got in. He had his hat over his eyes so his father couldn't see the black eye or his nose, which was still dripping with the red substance. He took his hand to block the bleeding, Keith noticed it.
"Ash? are you bleeding, who did this to you?" Keith asked sternly, he wasn't mad at his son, he was mad at whoever did this to his son!
"T-Trent…" he sighed. Keith heard it, He was silent the whole way home, Ash sighed as he saw the house, when the car pulled to a stop. The boy grabbed his backpack and rushed inside.
Going to the bathroom, he got himself cleaned up then he went to his bedroom to rest for a little bit. Closing the door to his room, Ash climbed up the ladder to his bed and laid down. He was starting to have a headache because Trent punched him in the eye, His left eye was black and puffy. He let his body take over with sleep, and he soon wasn't thinking about school or Trent… Just dreaming. Dreaming that he was on a Pokémon journey, meeting all kinds of new people and visiting all eight regions.
Ash woke up to a knock on the door a few hours later, He looked around the room, It was pitch black. Day had turned to night in a matter of a few hours. Ash sat up. It was a bad idea as his head was literally spinning. He heard the door open and someone turn on the lights in his room.
"Ash?" It was his mother, Delia Ketchum. He looked at her with surprise.
Hopefully she knew what happened…
"I know what happened. Your dad told me."Ash sighed and looked down. Delia walked over to her and ruffled his hair. Ash smiled and looked at his mother with his large brown eyes.
"Why won't you take a shower, okay?" Delia asked, kissing his head. Ash nodded and jumped down then went to the bathroom, he turned on the water and took a shower.
Keith was out back with his Pokémon, he was getting some training in for now, he was sitting with his Pokémon, drinking a bottle of water. Delia walked out back, Keith looked at her and smiled.
"Hey." Keith drank his water, looking at his wife.
"Hey, Ash is in the shower." Delia said, Keith sighed. "I don't know what to do about his situation. I never had this before when I told my dreams to the kids in my grade they didn't laugh at me." Keith said, trying to keep calm in this situation.
"Maybe I should take him out of school and let him travel with me to Unova."he suggested.
"Alright, that'll help him." Delia smiled. Keith smiled and kissed her cheek. They were in the house eating dinner, Pikachu was sitting by its trainer and it was eating. Keith looked at his son.
"Hey, Ash. I have an idea-"Keith started. Ash was going to be so thrilled when I told him. "-Why won't you come with me to Unova, to watch me compete in the league, what do you say?" Ash's eyes lit up and he smiled.
They were in Times Square in Unova, Keith rented a car there and they were driving through the region. Keith was listening to the radio. Ash let the music play as they drove through the region.
Ash saw many Pokémon, he smiled as he saw people walking with their Pokémon. He loved Uniova. Keith and Ash went to a hotel and they went to the front desk after parking the rental car.
Keith walked up to the front desk with Ash. Ash looked at the lobby, it had a large challender, marble flooring, a mini garden, and an area for Pokémon. He walked to the Pokémon and he saw a Luxray, Aipom and an Eevee and Luvdisc swimming in the water, Ash smiled and saw them all.
"Dad! there's Pokémon at the hotel!" Ash said, his eyes were focused on the Pokémn swimming and playing with each other. Luxray walked up to Ash and sat by him. Then, Keith walked up to his son, he smiled as he saw Ash playing with the Pokémon. Ash smiled and hugged his father. "This is awesome!"
Ash smiled and they went to their room. Keith put his bag down and he turned to his son. Ash smiled. "Dad?" He asked. "Can I watch you train for the league?" Keith smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "Of course you can!" Ash hugs his dad then they go down. Ash headed out to the back with Keith and they went to the back, Ash gasped as he saw the size of it.
there was a huge pool area where everyone—people and Pokémon included, can swim and play happily together. Aah and Keith walked down the stairs, they passed the pool, the buffet, then they made it to a Pokémon battlefield. Ash stood to the side as Ketih stood in a box, he let six of his Pokémon out and they were ready to go.
Ash was watching the intense training, between his father and his father's Pokémon. Ash smiled as he watched the battle. He was excited to see this in real life! he got to see it on TV at home or in school. But he ever went to the battles because of his mom's schedule at the restaurant.
Ash sat there, watching him train his Pokémon for an hour, he was starting to get hungry. Keith was still going at it with no signs of stopping. Ash, on the other hand, was starving. So he decided to leave to go to the dining area to eat.
"Ash! there you are, you scared me!" Keith smiled. However, Ash wasn't smiling like his dad, he was afraid that he would get in trouble. Keith saw the fear in his large brown eyes. Keith reassured Ash that he wasn't mad at him for walking off, yes he was scared, but he understood that his son was hungry.
"I'm sorry that I left you out there. When I'm battling, I zone out."he said, rubbing the back of his neck. Ash wanted to ask him something;
"Dad, are you by any chance ADHD also?"
Keith was stunned by the question, but he answered his son. "Why do you say that?"
Ash sighed and put his elbows on the table, he looked at his father.
"Because remember how I have it too? I'm hyper fixated on Pokémon when I went to Professor Oak's summer camp." Keith sat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"So?" Keith asked. "That's your love and your passion for Pokémon, every trainer has it. Remember… Don't think what the other kids say or think or do, because the map to your goal, is inside yourself. And even if you lose a league, you get back up and you battle because you're passionate about it, and nobody can tell you anything. Other people don't control you, other people can't control you, you have the power to do what you want in life, no matter how big or how crazy it might seem." Ash hugged his father, thanking him for the advice.
The map to your goal is inside yourself.
Ash thought of that phrase that his father told him all week, they were now walking to the stadium. Ash watched his father battle for three days, and now he was in the finals! the 1994 Uniova League finals! Ash walked into the lobby of the stadium with his father, he went to his seat and looked at the battlefield.
"Charizard is unable to battle! Greninja wins!" The crowd went crazy. Keith Ketchum did it. He was now the Uniova league champion of the year. Keith held the trophy up in the air as he smiled wide. He was so happy that he won the league! He was excited to head home and tell his wife.
It was pouring rain as they were driving down the road. They were going to go home tomorrow because there's no way that they were flying home tonight. Keith was listening to the radio. Ash was looking out the window as they were driving through the city. Ash was looking at the cars passing by as he was sitting comfortably in the back seat. Keith saw headlights, but…
It was too late…
The truck hit them both and flipped several times. By Arceus himself, Ash survived the wreck. He survived it! The windows were broken and the car was flipped back on its wheels. Ash opened his eyes as he saw the broken glass. He was panicking as he undid his seatbelt, after a few times he managed to get free. His hands shaking, Ash leaned to the front and shook his father awake, or. tried to at least, but he was unresponsive.
"Dad?!"Ash tried to shake him awake again. Ash saw the cuts and blood along his body, both airbags deployed on the passenger and drivers side. Ash turned and tried to open the door to his side. The door was jammed in. Ash crawled out the window, when his Jordan's hit the street he called out for help. Tears were streaming down his face, he was terrified.
"HELP! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!" A police officer was on the scene with an ambulance and the fire department. The officer picked up Ash, he was a male, dark skinned officer, he had some muscle on him as he radioed for backup.
Backup arrived, Ash saw his father being dragged out and onto a gurney. This is not something that a six year old should see. Ash buried his face into the officer's chest, the officer confronted him as they went to the hospital to check if Ash had any injuries.
"Ash…I'm officer Ethian, I'm the man who saved you. I…. Have some bad news regarding your father." Ash's hands were shaking.
Please Arceus don't take him from me!
Ash looked down waiting for the news. "I'm sorry but…" Ethian took a breath and continued.
"Your father passed away…"
No…this can't be true!
Ash laid down and he cried. He cried, wishing that his father was here with him. He wants to hear his kind voice speaking to him. Keith Ketchum will always be remembered as a father and a legend. And this was after his win in the Unova league.
Delia knew about the news, she saw it. Ash was home now and safe. He will never be healed from this. Ash just came out of his room just to eat. The little boy was now broken on the inside, and Delia was hurting inside, due to her husband's death and her son watching go by a driver that they had no name to. Maybe it was on porpoise, maybe it was by accident. The news said that it was a mystery. Delia was sitting in the living room. The last thing that she had of Keith was her wedding ring.
Staring at it in her hand. She sighed and looked upstairs, Ash's door to his bedroom was closed. He was grieving too.
A\N: Hey guys! this is a new story I did, So…I hope you like this piece! bye!