Kanto: Pallet Town
In the small town of Pallet, within the region of Kanto, Pidgey's are chirping, the summer breeze is blowing, and the atmosphere is tranquil. This day, world renowned pokemon expert, Professor Samuel Oak, has started his yearly pokemon summer camp.
It is for children, ages 4-7, from across Kanto. This event is a great way for young people to interact with and learn about pokemon while having fun. From Pallet Town itself there are five children enjoying said camp.
The first is Ash Ketchum who has messy raven-black hair, hazel brown eyes, a red and yellow sleeveless shirt, dark blue denim shorts that end above his knees, and dark green shoes with white socks. He is very energetic and brings a unique energy to anything he does.
The next child is one of Ash's oldest friends, practically his brother, Michael Orre. He is a boy with spiky red hair, green eyes, and pale skin. He wears a black t-shirt, jean shorts, and brown shoes. He is energetic, bubbly, and an avid study of pokemon.
The third child is none other than Professor Oak's grandson, Gary Oak. He has auburn hair and black eyes. He is a very arrogant boy because of his grandfather's reputation. Then, there is Cross Halter who is good friends with Gary.
Like him, Cross is arrogant with the added caveat of valuing pokemon typically seen as strong. He has spiky orange hair and brown eyes. The final Pallet Town child is Serena Yvonne who recently moved here from the Kalos region.
When her mother heard about this camp, despite the little girl's pleas, she signed her up. Serena has long, honey blonde hair covered by a summer hat with a pink ribbon, sapphire blue eyes, and a light pink summer dress.
Professor Oak's Lab
A group of adults and children were gathered before the Professor. Oak has slightly grey hair that sways off to one side, a red shirt visible under his white lab coat, and a black belt tied around his waist which holds up a pair of brown trousers. He stood on a sort of portable wooden stand with a male assistant dressed in typical research attire.
"Greetings." Oak stated. "This is our forty-fifth year running the summer camp, and we hope this year will be as successful as the previous years. While you're here, you will have opportunities to interact with pokemon and prepare for life as a travelling trainer." This made the kids excited.
"Most of all, you are here to have fun. For today, the children will have the chance to play and interact with each other as well as pokemon." Oak gave a signal for the assistant to start releasing pokemon. "Parents, feel free to stick around and make any queries you may have."
Oak stepped down, and a couple of the parents approached him while others decided to wait. Some just began to mingle amongst themselves while others decided to take their leave. The children gathered, in their own groups, around the assistant.
One by one, the assistant started releasing pokemon. There were more than enough for one pokemon per kid. Serena was not among the group of excited kids as she was terrified of the pokemon. As such, she had taken to standing by a tree far away from the action.
Michael noticed Serena standing by herself and walked over with the Growlithe he was given to play with. "Hey there!" Serena jumped as this boy approached her from behind. "I'm Michael." He extended his hand. "What's your name?"
Serena looked from him to the Growlithe with a rather timid expression. This Michael guy seemed nice; however, the pokemon, and her usual shyness, wasn't helping her in any regard. Still, her mother had taught her to be polite.
"I-I'm Serena." Serena stated with hesitation. "It's n-nice to meet you."
Michael frowned slightly at the hesitation, but that quickly dissipated. "So, why don't you have a pokemon Serena?" He crouched and patted Growlithe. "Professor Oak is an amazing man who never lets children around pokemon who aren't well trained."
Growlithe happily barked. Serena looked down at the puppy pokemon and had to admit that he was cute. Still, she ended up backing away. Growlithe took this as an invite to chase her and ended up jumping at the shy girl.
Serena hadn't been trying to initiate a chase, so she was knocked down. The puppy licked her with affection causing Michael to chuckle, but Serena was terrified. She quickly pulled herself up and bolted into a nearby forest while a couple of tears escaped her eyes.
With Ash
Ash was playing tag with a Pikachu he'd known ever since meeting him in the forest. Since he was too young to catch him, Professor Oak offered to do it for him. The professor told the boy that he could set out with Pikachu when the time came and play with him whenever he wanted.
A snide voice drew their attention. "Still playing those little games, Ashy-Boy."
Ash turned to see Gary, and Pikachu looked annoyed as he was aware who this boy was. "Gary."
"The one and only." Gary replied with arrogance.
"What do you want?" Ash asked.
"Just seeing what you're up to." Gary gave what seemed to be a genuine smile. "After all, you'll never make it as a trainer, so playing games is perfect for you."
His smile turned into a smirk.
"We'll see who's the better trainer when we face each other in the Pokemon League." Ash retorted. "Pikachu and I will defeat you no problem."
"We'll see about that." Gary turned to his side. "Even if you make it that far, you'll lose to me or Cross."
Gary then laughed and walked away. Ash grunted before turning to Pikachu, and they continued their game in high spirits. The mouse pokemon eventually ran into a nearby forest with Ash following.
With Oak
After a few of the adults concluded their talk with Professor Oak, a woman approached him. She has medium length brown hair with a yellow hair clip, a short sleeve dark blue t-shirt, and a pale green jumpsuit tied around her waist.
"Hello Professor." The women stated getting his attention. "My name is Grace. Grace Yvonne."
She offered her hand and Oak happily shook it. "Ah yes, Yvonne." Oak replied with a friendly smile. "If I'm not mistaken, you and your daughter are new arrivals in town." He nodded. "I am pleased you so quickly signed up for my camp."
"That's right." Grace stated. "I thought it was the perfect chance for my daughter to make some friends. She's quite the shy child."
"I see." Oak nodded. "Well, she should have no trouble making friends as we have quite a few good eggs." He began pointing out children. "Just to name a few: there's Gary, he's my grandson, Michael Orre, Cross Halter, and Ash Ketchum…where is Ash?"
Oak couldn't spot the boy and Grace realized she couldn't see her daughter either. "Professor, I can't see my Serena."
"Don't panic Ms. Yvonne." Oak reassured. "Ash is one of the nicest kids I've ever met. I'm sure if they're together, Serena will be fine."
Grace smiled. Although it wasn't confirmed, there was a good chance Serena was with this Ash. If what the professor said about him was true, her daughter should be fine, right?
The Forest
Serena stopped running from the incident with the Growlithe, but she was now terrified because she was lost in a strange forest. "I knew I shouldn't have come to camp." Brush nearby began to rustle causing Serena to trip and hurt her knee. "Mommy!"
Suddenly, Pikachu came out of the brush startling the young girl and making her cry as he ran off. Then, the brush started moving again. Serena couldn't escape in her current state, so she held her breath only for a head of messy, black hair to come out.
It was Ash. "Pikachu, where did you go!?" He left the brush and noticed Serena crying on the ground. "Hey, what's up? Why are you crying?"
"I hurt my knee!" Serena replied in sobs.
"No need to worry." Ash replied as he came over while pulling out a handkerchief and tying it around her injury. "By the way, I'm Ash."
"I'm…Serena." Serena replied while trying to calm down.
"Nice to meet you, Serena." Ash greeted with a friendly smile.
Serena smiled as she looked at this boy before feeling another rush of pain. "It still hurts."
"That's ok. Watch this." Ash waved his hands over her injury. "Feel better. Feel better. Right away."
Serena couldn't help but giggle. There was still pain, but it was much easier to ignore when someone as silly as Ash was around. She also found it sweet that this boy was going the extra mile for her.
"How's your leg now?" Ash asked while standing up. "Can you stand?"
Serena tried to push herself up, but that only caused her more pain. "N-no. It hurts too much."
"Hey, don't give up until it's over, okay?" Ash replied before holding out his hand.
Serena saw the gesture, and slowly put her hand out about a quarter of the way. Ash noticed her hesitation, so he met her the rest of the way before helping the girl up. He pulled a little too hard causing Serena to fall onto him like it was a hug.
"See, you're up." Ash flashed her a grin. "Now, let's get back to camp. The nurse can check your knee, and I'll introduce you to my friends."
Lab
Ash led Serena out of the forest and into the lab while the girl was staring at him. "Ash, you're truly the nicest, kindest, and sweetest boy I've ever met. When I was scared and alone, you stopped whatever you were doing to make sure I was ok."
"Alright Serena…" Ash stopped and let go of her hand before the nurse's office. "…we're here."
Serena was brought back to reality, but before she could speak, a friendly-looking nurse came to the doorway. "Why, hello Ash." The nurse knew most campers by name. "Who do we have here?"
"Hello Nurse Joy." Ash greeted. "This is Serena. She hurt her knee, so I brought her here."
"I see." Nurse Joy approached the shy girl and knelt at her level. "Let's take a look, shall we?"
Serena was always timid around strangers, so she shied away from the nurse.
"Don't worry Serena." Ash had realized this and gave his new friend a reassuring smile. "Nurse Joy will fix you up. Then, I can introduce you to my friends."
Seeing as Ash seemed to trust this woman, Serena turned her attention towards the nurse and gave her a nod. Nurse Joy smiled at this and stood before leading Serena into her office.
Serena looked back at the boy who gave her a thumbs up. "Don't worry Serena. Nurse Joy will fix you up, and once she's done, we can play together."
Serena smiled as her heart seemed to flutter. She didn't know why, but the promise to spend time with Ash made this experience worth it.
Nurse Joy noticed this with a smile. "Aw, young love."
"Now, I should find Pikachu." Ash thought. "Hopefully, the little guy isn't lost in the woods. Even though I had a good reason not to look for him in the moment, I'd feel bad if anything happened to him."
Professor Oak's Lab
Ash walked through the professor's lab, towards the door outside, when the door nearby opened. Professor Oak walked in with Pikachu in his arms, and he was accompanied by a woman who seemed to be around his mother's age.
"Ash, my boy." The professor greeted.
"Professor and Pikachu!" Ash happily exclaimed as he ran up to them. "I'm so glad he's safe!"
"Would you like to tell me why one of the camp monitors found Pikachu wondering around the nearby forest?" Oak asked with a serious tone.
"Oh." Ash nervously laughed as he scratched the back of his head. "Pikachu and I were playing tag and ended up running into the forest. While I was chasing him, I saw this girl had hurt her knee, so I helped her.
At the time, I didn't see Pikachu nearby, and I thought it was more important to help the girl. I brought her to the nurse's office and was just about to go out to find Pikachu." He approached the mouse pokemon. "I'm sorry for abandoning you Pikachu."
Ash bowed his head to the pokemon who merely smiled in response and jumped into Ash's arms. The boy smiled since he would have hated to upset one of his best friends. Since the pokemon seemed to hold no malice over Ash's decision, Professor Oak wouldn't either.
"With that out of the way, would you mind telling me who the girl you helped is?" Oak asked.
"Of course, professor." Ash nodded. "She said her name was Serena. She was wearing a pink outfit and a matching, straw hat."
Grace let out a sigh of relief since it just had to be her daughter. "Thank Arceus."
"Professor, would it be alright if I go now?" Ash asked. "I'd like to keep playing with Pikachu."
"I don't see a problem with that; however, you need to stay safe and keep where people can see you." Oak retorted.
Ash nodded with a grin. "I understand professor!"
Pikachu jumped out of the boy's arms and ran off prompting him to give chase.
Outside
Ash and Pikachu were running around the ranch, but they kept away from the forest this time. While he was playing, the boy failed to notice Michael approaching him from behind.
"Hey Ash!" Michael exclaimed, causing the boy to jump. "Where you been?"
Once Ash realized he'd been spoked by his friend, he grinned.
Before he could speak, Cross spoke up. "He was probably off playing with any old pokemon." The boy had his arms crossed. "Honestly, if you don't become even a little more selective, I fear any battle we have in the future will be too easy."
Michael just rolled his eyes like he tended to do with Gary and Cross.
"Actually, I was making a new friend Cross." Ash crossed his arms and turned away from him. "You and Gary should try it some time."
Cross grunted before walking away.
"Well done." Michael was beaming with pride. "Usually, you don't have a comeback when Cross or Gary get like that. Now, who's this new friend you made?"
"Her name is Serena." Ash replied. "Pikachu, and I were playing tag in the forest when I found her with an injured knee. I helped her to the nurse and told her when she's done, we can play together."
"Serena?" Michael questioned. "What was she wearing?"
"A pink dress and matching, straw hat." Ash replied. "Did you see her or something?"
"I did." Michael nodded. "I tried to talk with her, but she was so shy. Then, Growlithe jumped on her, and she ran away."
"Well, I told her I'd introduce her to my friends when she was done." Ash explained with a smile. "We might as well stick together, so you can meet her properly."
Michael smiled since he liked making new friends. "Sure Ash." He then stepped closer to him "TAG!" He put a hand on his friend's chest before taking off. "You're it!"
Growlithe and Pikachu each ran in separate directions which caused Ash to smile. "Hey!" He cried out with a smile as he ran after them. "No fair!"
Nurse's Office
Serena sat by the window waiting for Nurse joy to finish wrapping a bandage around her knee. The nurse had already removed Ash's handkerchief and left it next to the girl. Serena grabbed the handkerchief and held it against her chest, above her heart, while she looked out the window.
"Okay, Serena." Nurse Joy spoke, drawing her attention. "You should be good now; however, I'd be careful the next few days."
Serena simply nodded.
Outside
As Serena left the nurse's office, she ended up bumping into Cross who was unprepared. As a result, the boy ended up falling on his butt.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Serena quickly stated. "I didn't…"
Cross glared at her and stood up. "You should watch where you're going girl." He stormed off feeling rather angry at being made to look weak. "I was walking here."
Serena was taken back by how serious that kid sounded. In an effort not to run into him again, she walked in the opposite direction hoping Ash was that way.
"That kid was kind of scary." Serena thought.
Over with Ash's Group
Ash and Michael were being chased by Pikachu, but they came to a sudden stop when Growlithe started barking. The two children looked and saw Serena coming towards them.
"There she is!" Ash exclaimed. "Hey Serena, come meet my best buds!"
At the sound of his voice, Serena's heart started pounding. "Hey Ash!"
Once they were together, Ash went about introducing Michael and the pokemon. Initially, Serena was terrified, but Ash managed to reassure her. Due to her knee injury, the blond couldn't play tag, so they sat under a nearby tree to chat.
In the Distance
Grace watched her daughter from afar. She was initially worried Serena would be too shy and end up avoiding people. Amazingly, she made a friend, and he was introducing her to others. Grace smiled as the three kids sat together.
With Ash's Group
As the kids were getting to know each other, Gary approached them. "Well. Well. Well. Looks like Ashy-boy got all tuckered out. If you spent all your energy playing, you'll never be a great trainer like me."
Ash jumped to his feet and came to stand before the professor's grandson. While Ash confronted his first rival, Serena moved closer to Michael. She wanted answers and figured this guy could provide them.
"Hey." Serena whispered as the boys started bickering. "Who's that?"
"Gary Oak." Michael replied. "He and Ash are always going at it. Gary's arrogant and they think of each other as rivals." The two boys jumped at each other and started brawling. "Guess that's my cue."
Michael stood up and, without hesitation, grabbed them by their ears before pulling them apart, causing them to cry in pain. "You two know the drill. Tell me you'll be good, and I'll release you." The boys said nothing, forcing him to apply a little more pressure. "I can't hear you!"
"I'll be good!" Ash shouted.
Michael released his friend, but Gary refused to speak prompting him to tighten his grip.
Gary couldn't take it anymore. "I'll be good!" Michael let him go. "Annoying guy."
Gary stormed off. Once he was gone, Ash and Michael explained what the Pallet group was like to Serena. They are practically siblings, Gary and Ash are at each other's throats, and mentioned Cross was antagonistic to them.
With introductions out of the way, camp continued over the course of three weeks. Serena became fast friends with Ash and Michael, spent a little time with Gary, and did her best to avoid Cross. Those three weeks were some of the best Serena's ever had.
Her mother even got to know Delia and Lily (Ash and Michael's mothers). They became fast friends. Grace knew her daughter had a crush and wasted little time teasing her about it. As it normally does, time passed, and soon their pokemon journey would begin.
Pallet Town: Ketchum Residence, 4 Years Later…
It was the night before he'd set off for his journey, and Ash was trying on the clothes his mother made. He has his limited-edition Indigo League hat, sea blue jacket, pair of green gloves, and green backpack. He also wore a black shirt, light blue jeans, and sneakers.
"Tomorrow, I get to start my journey with Pikachu." Ash was clearly excited. "My dream is to be a Pokemon Master!"
Delia threw the door to his room open and saw Ash striking a pose with his pokeball alarm clock. His television was on showing a special battle between two trainers. One has Espeon while the other trainer threw out an Onyx.
This was the Kanto Champion Battle with the challenger, winner of the Indigo League, and the current Champion of Kanto who Ash was familiar with. The champion was Wes Orre who was in fact Michael's older brother.
Any trainer who wins a region's Pokemon League has the right to face its Elite Four and Champion. If they win, they become the new champion. Currently, Kanto's League consists of Lorelei, Bruno, Agatha, and Lance with Wes as the champion.
Delia was in her night robe, with a towel wrapped around her head, and a green face mask on. "Ash, get to bed!" Ash jumped at her presence causing his pokeball alarm clock to fly at Delia who caught it. "It's late, and you should be asleep."
"I know mom." Ash moaned which seemed to harden Delia's glare. "I'm just too excited. Tomorrow, Pikachu and I set off on our journey."
Delia sighed as she knew how long her son dreamed about this. "Fine, you can stay up for ten more minutes, but I want you in bed soon after." She then walked over to the television. "For now, you can at least watch something educational."
Delia changed the channel to Professor Oak who was going over the three starters a new trainer usually chooses from.
Ash sighed since he knew there was no point in arguing. "Ok mom."
"Also, get out of those clothes, or they'll be too dirty to travel in." Delia scolded.
Yvonne Residence
Serena was already in bed; however, she couldn't sleep. The girl was tossing and turning with mixed feelings about what tomorrow would bring. She decided to take her mind off it by attempting to focus on something else.
What came to mind was when Grace started training her to race Rhyhorn. After a few lessons, she discovered it wasn't for her, but she was too shy to tell her mom. This was her mother's livelihood. That said, Grace could tell Serena didn't like it.
The mother simply thought the training would help her grow as a person. Plus, she saw the training as good bonding time. Especially when it came to her daughter's crush. At first, she wasn't too sure about them being together, but that changed when they were nine…
1 Year Ago…
After another painful racing lesson, Serena was sat on a bench in the nearby park. She was on the verge of breaking. Sure, she never out right told her mother she didn't like Rhyhorn Racing, but she gave several hints. Almost as many as she gave Ash about her feelings.
Ash had walked into the park and noticed how down his friend seemed. He knew how much Serena hated her training and just wanted to help. With his mind made up, Ash walked up behind her and leaned against the bench. Serena didn't seem to notice.
"Hey Serena." Ash stated.
After a few moments, Serena looked at the raven-haired boy with a weak smile. "Oh, hey Ash."
Normally, she'd be more engaged in a conversation with her crush, but she wasn't in the mood.
"Alright, what's wrong?" Ash asked.
Serena sighed as she knew she didn't want to bring her crush into her problems. "It's nothing."
Ash raised an eyebrow in skepticism. "At this point, I've known you for four years Serena, so I think I know when something's up."
"Really?" Serena challenged.
Ash crossed his arms. "You're upset about Rhyhorn Racing, right?" Serena was shocked he'd figured it out. "Serena, you can't keep this up. You need to tell your mom you don't want to be a Rhyhorn Racer, or you might say something you'll regret."
"I don't know." Serena sighed sadly. "Mom is so enthusiastic about us doing Rhyhorn Racing together." She shook her head. "I don't want to upset her."
"Serena, your mom loves you." Ash stated. "She might not know how you truly feel, but she'd never want you to be upset. Really, the longer you hide the truth, the more upset she will be. Hey, if you can't do this alone, I'll come with you."
Serena stood and looked at him. "Will you really come with me?"
Ash smiled. "I'll be with you all the way."
Ash may have been oblivious, but she could count on him to be there when she needed him. The pair soon made it to Serena's home where her family's Rhyhorn was asleep in his little house.
Now that they were close to her home, Serena was nervous again. "N-no." She sat on the ground and curled up. "I can't do this."
Ash sighed since he was sure he convinced her. "Serena, you can do this."
She didn't move, so Ash sat next to her before spouting words of encouragement. Grace was watching this out of the window, and it almost brought a tear to her eye. She never wanted to make her daughter miserable. She only forced the lessons to help her confidence.
She also noticed how Ash was supporting her little girl. Up until this point, Grace was on the fence about her daughter pursuing him. Now, she can genuinely see them together. Serena had been considering just being friends with him, but she couldn't forget these feelings.
After a few minutes, Ash had convinced her to go through with this. Serena subconsciously held his hand. Ash felt a little uncomfortable, but if it helped her, he'd allow it. Grace decided to play it like she hadn't seen what occurred. She sat in her armchair and picked up a magazine.
Grace heard the door open and watched as the pair entered the living room. "Hello sweetie. Back so soon?" She then nodded to the boy. "Hello Ash."
Ash raised his hand in greeting. "Evening Ms. Yvonne."
"Mom!" Serena declared louder than she intended.
"Yes dear?" Grace asked.
"I..." Serena paused before speaking rapidly. "…don'twanttobeaRhyhornRacer."
Grace could barely make out the mumble that followed. "Sorry, but what was that?"
Serena took a deep breath. "Mom, I don't want to be a Rhyhorn Racer."
"Okay." Grace replied as if it were no big deal.
"Okay?" Serena asked clearly confused.
She even looked towards Ash who shrugged.
Grace stood up and approached her daughter. "Serena, I know you've never liked Rhyhorn Racing, and I never intended you to become one like me."
"Then, why did you do it?" Serena asked.
"I put you in training for a few reasons actually." Grave stated. "Firstly, I thought it would be a good way to spend time together. After all, I have no idea about fashion, which you like to remind me of often."
"Sorry about that." Serena apologized sincerely.
She would always say her mother doesn't know anything about fashion. She once even asked her mother for her opinion on a hat only to choose the opposite hat since it had to be cuter than her mother's choice.
"Secondly, I know Rhyhorn Racing builds character and confidence." Grace stated. "I thought it would help you grow, and it seems I was right." Serena gave her mother a confused look. "In the past, you'd have accepted the training and let me run your life. Now, you're fighting against it."
"Thank you." Serena stated.
The mother and daughter hugged while Ash smiled warmly at the scene.
Grace smiled slyly before whispering to her daughter. "With all this free time, you can work towards your true goal."
Serena knew what her mother meant, and it made her turn bright red. "MMMOOOMMM!"
Present
After a trip down memory lane, Serena smiled sadly. Ash helped her get the right to find her own dream. Since that day, she considered becoming a trainer, breeder, watcher, doctor, researcher, coordinator, connoisseur, and more. She just wasn't certain. She sighed as she laid in her bed.
Maybe she'd find something on her journey. Then, it all came back to her. Tomorrow she'd be setting off on her journey. As things stood, she didn't know when she'd see her friends again. Maybe Ash or Michael would let her travel with them.
Ketchum Residence, Morning…
The next morning, Ash woke up nice and early. He used to have a bad habit of sleeping in and throwing his clocks while he slept didn't help. Thanks to Serena and Michael helping him break that habit, for the most part, he was much better at getting up.
Ash dressed himself and made his way downstairs to discover breakfast waiting for him. He sat down and began eating while his mother looked on sadly. Today, her baby boy would leave, but Delia knew she couldn't hold onto him forever. Still didn't mean it wasn't upsetting.
"Honey." Delia put a hand on her son's shoulder. "After you're done eating, you should get going, so you aren't late." She patted him. "Make sure you stop back here before you leave."
"Of course, mom." Ash nodded. "I'll be sure to come back."
Yvonne Residence
Despite the rocky night, Serena managed to wake up at a decent time. She wore a dark grey tank top, red skirt, black high-tops, and a dark pink hat paired with a black hat band. When she made it into the kitchen, Serena saw her mother sitting at the table.
As soon as Grace saw her daughter, she smiled. "Morning Serena."
"Morning mom." Serena replied as she sat down to eat breakfast.
Outside
Ash ran to the lab and ended up arriving before anyone else.
"Well Ashy-boy, I'm surprised you're the first one here." Garry had climbed up the steps with a smirk. "Looks like we finally found a use for all those childish games you used to play, huh?"
"Talk all you want Gary, but I was still the first one here." Ash grinned. "If I didn't already have a starter promised to me, I'd get first pick."
"Going first isn't all it's cracked up to be." Gary stated. "Knowing Ash will get that Pikachu made my choice of starters easy."
"Third in line, huh?" Cross walked up the stairs next. "I'd be more disappointed in myself if I didn't already have an idea what Gary's choice is. In the end, I'll get the pokemon I want." He approached them. "I'm surprised you woke up on time Ash."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash questioned. "You know Serena and Michael helped me prepare for today."
"I'm aware, but their training hasn't completely erased your tendency to sleep in." Cross smirked. "I was certain today would be another one of those cases."
"Yeah, well I showed you." Ash crossed his arms.
Michael and Serena arrived together with the pair noticing Ash's current posture.
"Oh boy, looks like Gary and Cross have been getting on Ash's nerves again." Serena stated.
Michael joined them. "You three better be playing nice." He had a stern look that none of them wanted to mess with. "I won't tolerate you guys fighting in front of the professor." The boys all looked at each other and simply turned their heads. "Well, at least you aren't fighting."
At that moment, Professor Oak came out to stand before the trainers. "Greetings, everyone."
"Morning professor." Michael cheerfully greeted.
"Morning." Cross stated simply.
"Morning gramps." Gary replied.
Ash smiled. "Good morning, Professor Oak!"
Serena bowed her head. "Good morning, sir."
"Children, today is the day you start your journey and enter the world of pokemon." Oak walked inside while calling back to them. "If you follow me, we'll get you all set up. Please do so in order of arrival."
Ash took the lead with Gary, Cross, Michael, and Serena falling in line behind him. Oak led them into a room which resembled a living room. Five pokeballs, and Pikachu, were on the coffee table. Once everyone was inside, Oak signaled the children to stand in a line.
"Today, you five are about to set off on your own journey with your pokemon partners." The professor announced. "Together, you'll meet and befriend people and pokemon alike while working towards your own dreams."
Serena flinched at that last sentence since she didn't have her own dream.
"My assistant will now hand each of you a pokedex and pokeballs." Oak stated. "The pokedex will allow you to research, record, and store information on any pokemon you find. Although it has the capability for all pokemon, I wish for you to record the 150 species native to Kanto."
Everyone gladly accepted the items. Especially Michael who, unlike the others, wanted to record and store information on every pokemon in the pokedex.
"Now, as is tradition, you will choose your pokemon in order of arrival." The Professor explained. "Ash, you would be first, but we all know who your desired partner is. Still, would you please step forward?"
Ash approached the table and grabbed Pikachu's pokeball. "The time has finally come buddy." He held out his arm to Pikachu. "You're with me, right?"
"Pika!" Pikachu happily exclaimed.
He scampered up Ash's arm and sat on his shoulder. Ash and Michael then pulled out their pokedex:
Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon. It can generate electric attacks from the electric pouches located in both of its cheeks. Male and female Pikachu have differently shaped tails.
Type: Electric
Ability: Static
Sex: Male
Current Moves: Thunder Shock, Tail Whip, Quick Attack
"Considering how much the two of you have bonded, I don't think there is a better starter for you." Professor Oak stated with a smile.
Ash rejoined the group. "You know it professor."
"Next, will you step forward Gary?" Oak asked.
With Ash having Pikachu, there was only one choice for him. He smirked as he swiped the pokeball containing Bulbasaur. Without a word, Gary pressed the button releasing the grass starter.
"Yo pal." Gary remained standing and looked down at the mon. "What's say you and I take the Indigo League by storm?"
Everyone sweat dropped at Gary's attitude with the grass starter taking a considerable amount of time to look over his new trainer. Eventually, the little guy moved over to his trainer and rubbed up against his leg in acceptance. Gary and Michael used their dexes to get a read on him:
Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon. A young Bulbasaur uses the nutrients from its seed for the energy it needs to grow.
Type: Grass/Poison
Ability: Overgrow
Sex: Male
Current Moves: Tackle, Growl
Once Gary returned his pokemon, and was back with the group, the professor looked to Cross. "You are up."
"It's about time." Cross walked forward and immediately took Charmander's pokeball. "In my mind, this is the best starter of the lot." He pressed the button releasing the fire starter. "Hey Charmander, you up for taking the world by storm with our strength?"
Charmander studied the confident, arrogant boy before deciding that he seemed rather capable. The pokemon nodded before displaying his power by scratching at the air rather quickly for a starter.
"That's what I like to see." Cross smirked. "I can tell you're strong and ready to throw down."
He and Michael used their Pokedexs:
Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon. Charmander's health can be gauged by the fire on the tip of its tail, which burns intensely when it's in good health.
Type: Fire
Ability: Blaze
Current Move: Scratch, Growl
"I must say that Charmander is the perfect starter for you." Professor Oak nodded. "You two will make a powerful duo."
Cross smirked as he recalled his pokemon and joined the group. "There's no question."
"Michael and Serena, you two arrived together so decided among yourselves who'll go next." The professor instructed.
"Be my guest Serena." Michael nodded. "I'll be fine with whomever I'd get, so I'll let you have the choice."
"Are you sure?" Serena asked.
Michael nodded before putting his arms behind his head. "One hundred percent!"
"Thank you." Serena approached the table and looked at her options. "I'll choose Eevee." She released the pokemon, and the evolution pokemon came out dancing around her. "Oh my, she is graceful." She crouched down and got the pokemon's attention. "Hello Eevee." She smiled. "Would you like to come with me?"
The pokemon jumped into Serena's arms and nuzzled her.
Ash nodded. "I think you two will make a great team."
Serena and Michael used their pokedexs on the mon:
Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon. Eevee is rarely seen, and can adapt to severe habitats by evolving, changing its capabilities and form.
Type: Normal
Ability: Adaptability
Sex: Female
Current Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip
"Michael, you are our last trainer, so come on over to claim your new partner." The professor requested causing Michael to run to the table and grab Squirtle's pokeball. "It seems someone is rather eager."
"Sorry professor." Michael blushed in embarrassment. "I honestly do thank you for this gift."
Oak just smiled and gave him a gesture to let the pokemon out.
Michael released Squirtle and dropped to his knees before the pokemon. "Hello Squirtle, I'm Michael. Do you want to go on an adventure with me?"
Squirtle studied him, but it only took a couple seconds before he made his decision. The tiny turtle pokemon happily jumped into his arms. This made Michael laugh with joy as he hugged the pokemon back.
"You two seem like a perfect match." The Professor commented.
Michael pulled out his pokedex:
Squirtle, the Tiny Turtle Pokemon. This Pokemon draws its long neck into its shell to launch incredible water attacks with amazing range and accuracy. The blasts can be quite powerful.
Type: Water
Ability: Torrent
Sex: Male
Current Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip
Michael rejoined the line.
With all the pokemon and trainers acquainted, the professor saw it suitable to bring this to an end. "Now, it is time for you to set off on your journey with your partners into the world of pokemon."
Outside
Once outside, Gary jumped into a red convertible with an entire cheer squad. They drove off causing the remaining trainers to sweat drop.
"Since when does Gary have a car?" Serena asked bewildered.
"Or a cheer squad?" Ash asked with the same tone.
"I have no idea." Michael replied with the same tone.
"Later you three." Cross was the first to recover and walked by them. "Charmander and I are hitting the road. If you want to stand a chance, as small as it is, you got to know we'll be looking for the strongest and toughest pokemon out there."
The three friends watched the boy leave before Ash turned to the others. "Okay guys, why don't we meet up at the entrance to town before we start our journeys?"
They agreed with Serena remembering how troubled she was by the night before.
Ketchum Residence
Ash entered his home, and his mom came out of the kitchen. "Ash and Pikachu."
Delia was happy her son could finally have Pikachu, but she was sad because this made it final. Her baby was going to set off on his journey.
"Yep, it's us." Ash smiled. "I now have the perfect partner in Pikachu."
"I can see that." Delia smiled. "While you were at the lab, I made sure you'd have everything you need for your journey." She held his bag out. "There's a fresh change of clothes, your sleeping bag, a packed lunch, and a first aid box."
"I got it mom." Ash took his backpack and put it on. "I should probably get going. I promised Serena and Michael we'd meet up before setting off on our journeys."
Ash made his way towards the door only for Delia to call out to him. "Ash." He turned and his mother came over to hug him. "I know you have a tendency to find trouble, but please promise me you'll try to be safe."
Ash hugged his mom back. "I always try mom." He pulled back with a grin. "Don't worry about me because I had you to teach me what I need."
With that, Ash took his leave.
Entrance to Town
Michael was on his bike while Serena stood nearby.
"Guys, I'm coming!" Ash called out.
They turned to see him running towards them.
"Considering you were actually early to Oak's lab; I suppose logic only dictates you'd be late now." Michael stated in a joking manner.
Ash scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry about that."
The three friends looked at one another since none of them wanted to say goodbye.
After a few minutes, Michael spoke up. "Ok guys, I guess I'll see you around."
That made it official and prompted them to share a group hug. Michael then hopped onto his bike and peeled off down the road. Serena was saddened since she hadn't had the courage to ask if she could accompany him.
With Michael gone, Serena and Ash were silent once more. The girl knew this was her last chance to possibly accompany a friend. All she must do is form the words. Ash saw that she was struggling, and he had a good idea of what she wanted.
"Hey Serena, why don't we travel together?"