The blossoming of ashley

by Aceina

At the start of his journey, Ash Ketchum's life takes a very different path meeting new friends leading to new adventures. Not without stumbles, but she will climb to the top of the Indigo Plateau. Join Ashley as she blossoms into her real self and embraces her identity, and becomes all of whom she was meant to be.

1. Chapter 1

The Blossoming of Ashley

The kanto saga

Chapter 1:Girl i choose you Part 1

This is a trans girl Ashley fic in which Ash realizes she wants to be a girl. The first chapter will use male pronouns up until Ash realizes she is a girl.

Many changes to what you know will happen here from Ash meeting Erika not misty on the fateful first day, to many different captures to even the order in which Ashley travels the regions. This is not a 1 to 1 clone of the anime storyline, this is a what if of another way for Ashley to become a world class trainer.

LINE BREAK

In Pallet Town, a small town in the region of Kanto, tomorrow is a big day for 4 trainers who will be setting out on the adventure. In this world, many young 14 year olds take on a pokemon journey. Now, once every year those of age are given a starter pokemon by the towns professor and Pallet is home to the region's greatest professor and one of the greatest in the world Professor Samuel Oak.

3 of these 4 teenagers were asleep, dreaming of becoming Pokemon champions but one young boy was not. No, for he is watching the pokemon grand championships live on TV hosted in the far off Orre region.

A rather larger than average Garchomp with a jagged scar on her chest stood on one side of the battlefield. Her back fin, it was some serrated due to years of fierce battling. It's coloring was actually unique, a darker shade of blue than the norm. She was panting a bit, but with a toothy smirk on its face. Behind the by now infamous Mach Pokémon, was her trainer.

Though calling her a trainer might have been a bit of an understatement. She was the champion of champions, the one who stood at the top of the mountain. None other than the now legendary Cynthia, her long blond hair flowing freely down past her waist.

Her sole visible eye was shining brightly, and despite the tough battle she'd been through she still wore a smile on her face. If you looked in her eyes, she actually seemed thrilled at the challenge she'd been given all night. She stood a rather imposing six feet, almost as tall as her signature dragon. Her body was wrapped in a black fur coat, whipping in the wind, and her intimidating presence made many a trainer falter before even sending out their first Pokemon.

"Now here we are folks, the end of the match," the announcer thundered. "Both trainers have battled hard, both champions and both divine beauties are down to their very last Pokemon! Now, only one shall stand tall and take home the Masters Championship trophy, while the other falls!"

On the other side was a beautiful, elegant, graceful Gardevoir shimmering in the moonlight, a unique coloring of pink and white. This Pokemon, radiating love and justice was bruised badly from the ongoing battle, But like any champion, the Gardevoir refused to give in. Now, behind her is her lovely trainer, the 3 times regional champion of Kalos and world class model Diantha. Standing at 5 feet 8 inches with an extra 4 from her heels, she wasn't quite as imposing as her opponent. She stood tall and elegant and with her all white clothing she looked rather angelic.

This actually had the effect of marking her as rather a sharp contrast to the somewhat devilish, and roguish-looking Cynthia. A few years back, there had been some sort of controversy about how boyish she'd looked, but it'd mostly faded from the people's minds. Not that Ash really cared. No, his eyes were glued to the screen in front of him. He couldn't decide, Cynthia or Dianthia? Who was the better trainer? He wanted to be like them so badly, though whenever he looked at either one of them he felt this odd ache he could never place.

"I have to admit, you surprised me this year, Diantha. You've gotten stronger," Cynthia said. "You even captured a Diancie, that's an impressive feat. But I'd expect nothing less from you, old friend."

Dianthia smiled on the TV. "I'll admit, you've got us on the ropes, but this battle's almost over."

"Yes, I rather think it is," Cynthia said. "Tiamat, Endure the attack! She may look pretty, but don't her looks deceive you. Gardevoir is just as tough as you are!"

"My next attack, my last attack… It shall be spectacular, will it not, Amélie?"

Her Gardevoir nodded and Dianthia pointed at the dragon in front of them.

"MOONBLAST!" Diantha cried, as a glowing beam of pink and blue energy rocketed towards Tiamat, carving up the ground beneath it.

Cynthia laughed. "I wouldn't have it any other way!"

As Garchomp took the attack, sliding backwards in the sand, her trainer nodded.

"Good work Tiamat, I knew it'd take more than that to take you down," Cynthia said, with her dragon smirking back at her. "Now… Retaliate with Dragon Rush!"

A blue ray shot from Tiamat's hands, forming into the shape of a roaring dragon with fiery red eyes.

"Moonblast, again!"

Both attacks collided, sending a pillar of light miles into the sky and the screen went white, before the glow started to fade.

"I can't see anything folks, I can't tell who won!" the announcer said.

"NO WHAT'S HAPPENING* Ash shouted, grabbing onto his TV and shaking it a little. "WHO WON? WHO WON?"

Ash just sat and started, his heart racing a million miles a second.

"Stay calm Pokefans, I know you all want to see the result of that positively BRUTALclash of beams but we're going to have to wait a bit for the smoke to clear!"

When the dust finally settled, there was a crater several feet deep where the arena floor once was. Both trainers were coughing from the dust, before finally the victor was revealed. On the floor, Amélie lays before her trainer, completely out cold.

Diantha smiled, returning her beloved Embrace Pokémon to her pokeball, nodding at Cynthia.

"Thanks girl, you fought well," she said before turning to Cynthia. "And thanks Cynthia, for the great battle."

Koto a little petite woman, with an eevee beside her raced out to the battlefield and lifted Cynthia's arm up while the little eevee was next to TIamat hopping up and down trying to lift the garchomps arm up as the crowds roared. "And there you have it folks, this totally awesome and violent world championship, Cynthia is our WORLD CHAMPION ONCE AGAIN!"

"YES YES, THAT WAS THE GREATEST BATTLE EVER AND JUST YOU WAIT CYNTHIA BY THE NEXT WORLD TOURNAMENT I'LL BE CHAMPION MYSELF AND I'LL FACE YOU! Just you wait!" Ash said, pointing at the TV to give his declaration of war.

"Asssssssh! It's way past your bedtime! Go ahead and brush your teeth!"

"Sorry Mom!" Ash said, and as he climbed into bed he dreamt of tomorrow's journey. He dreamt of the future, a mighty venusaur by his side as the crowds roared.

And in his sleep, he mumbled: "Your new world champion… Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

LINE BREAK

"Wait, what do you mean you're all out of Pokemon?"

Ash felt his heart nearly stop, like his whole world had been ripped out from under him.

"I'm sorry Ash my boy, but all of the other trainers got here before you did. Now, if you just wait a day…"

"But I don't want to wait a day, I want to start my Pokemon journey today!" Ash said, knowing he sounded a bit whiny but he'd been waiting for years. He'd planned to start at ten, but a few years back, 4 exactly the league had moved up the age due to safety concerns. Something, at the time his mom had been in full support of saying ten year olds shouldn't be out in the wilderness alone even with their Pokemon to protect them.

She'd said she'd been worried that Ash wouldn't be able to control his Pokemon, citing fears of an out of control Charizard that would refuse to listen to him. Never mind the fact that Ash would have chosen Bulbasaur anyways, which anyways looked to be rather moot right now. His journey, his dreams of taking Cynthia's title looked to be crashing down all around him.

"Well…" Oak paused, his expression turning thoughtful. "I do have one Pokemon…"

"I'll take it, I'll take anything you have, even a Magikarp! I'll raise it to be the best ever!"

"I have no doubt you will, my boy," Oak said, smiling at Ash like he was his own grandson. He all but was these days, with how well he knew Delia. "It's just… well, this Pokemon I caught, she's rather temperamental. I'm not sure if I'd give her to a beginner trainer who's just starting out."

Ash sighed. "I understand."

"...but, then again, I suppose you could think of this as your first real experience training a Pokemon," Oak said, and Ash's eyes widened. "Now I know I put her Pokeball around here somewhere…"

After a few moments of searching, rummaging around his desk the man let out an 'ah-ha!' and revealed a Pikachu from inside a Pokeball.

"Now, here she is, here's your PIKAAAAAAAAAAACHUUUUUUUU!" Oak shouted as the Pikachu shocked the both of them in a jolt of golden lightning. As the smoke cleared, both ash-faced, the Professor sweatdropped. "...see what I mean?"

Ash coughed. "...yeah, I kinda do, Professor. But, like you always say, there's no Pokemon that can't be trained!"

"I did say that, though…" Oak and Ash looked nervously at the Pikachu, her cheeks still sparking angrily. "...I hope I won't be eating my words shortly, I found this one chewing on the power cables a few nights ago and it was a hassle just to catch the little mouse. This Pikachu is a really independent one! Very strong willed, she kinda reminds me of you actually!"

"Then that just means we'll be perfect partners!" Ash grinned, and reached down to pet Pikachu just as the mouse's cheeks started sparking even more. "Isn't that right little budd-"

"PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKAAAAAAACHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Ash lay twitching on the floor.

"...well I suppose there have been worse starts to a journey," Oak mused aloud. "...though for the life of me I can't quite remember when…"

Soon he bolted upwards and glared at the electric mouse who smirks at him sticking out her tongue "Why you…. No, it's fine, I'll show you! I'll show you I'm a good trainer, I'll show you that I'll be the best in the world!"

Oak could only chuckled at this display. "You know something tells me you two belong together."

Ash didn't notice this but Oak's eyes glanced over at an old sketchbook on his desk.

"Now before you get going I need to give you a few things. First is a pokedex. This is the latest model so please treat it carefully. It has all known Pokemon not just in Kanto but the entire world," Oak handed the bright young man a little red, rectangular box who took it like it was a pokeball holding Arceus Himself. "Now it also has a built-in phone though it should really only be used in case of emergencies. It also keeps track of your wins and your losses, for credit to spend on supplies."

Oak paused, in thought before he snapped his fingers.

"Ah, before I forget! You need pokeballs!" the Professor said, pulling out a case of about 25 red and white balls used the world over.

Ash stared at him, and at the case. "...come on Professor, isn't that a bit much? Like, nobody uses up that many Pokeballs on their first day!"

He glanced over at Pikachu, who was smirking evilly no doubt already planning on keeping her trainer from catching any Pokemon at all.

"...on the other hand, I see your point."

As Ash walked back home to his mom's house, he kept glancing back at the electric mouse. Pikachu was giving him the stink eye, and clearly disliked the leash she was on.

"...now come on Pikachu, maybe we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Ash Ketchum, okay little buddy? Let's be pals?"

The little demon just shocked him again.

"...I suppose I should have seen that coming," Ash said with a sigh. "...I wonder who's training who at the moment."

1414141414141414

Slowly, but surely, the two made their way across town towards the Ketchum family household. Pikachu suddenly stopped, sniffing at the air and at this Ash grinned. "Oh, that's my moms cafe. Now behave while I'm getting my stuff and i'll introduce you to her and her cooking. Deal?"

Pikachu paused for thought. On one hand, being saddled with this idiot was worse than meeting Giratina himself. On the other hand… free food! She could plot how to escape later, right now she needed a meal.

"Cha…" Pikachu said, which in Pokespeak probably could have been interpreted as a: 'finnnnnnne…'

Ash's smile grew even wider. "GREAT! See, I told you we could come to an understanding, eh little buddy?"

Pikachu, the little devil, she just glared at him.

Ash frowned worriedly as he walked up to his room, pulling out a small case from under the bed.

"...man, I don't even know why I'm taking this stuff, but…" he sighed, opening the case to reveal a dark red tank top, along with a light blue skirt. Pulling on some knee high socks, he also pulled on a pair of women's boots just to see if they fit. "...Was never able to get the hat to match the official pokemon league girls hat. Stupid perfume smelling contest… I mean, what does that have to do with being a pokemon master?"

Quickly taking off the boots and putting on his regular shoes.

He never understood just why these clothes stayed so clean. He would be the first to admit, he was not exactly a tidy person but every time he put them on they were clean and smelled good and had even been nicely folded. By now he was pretty sure he stuffed them back in the box maybe girls clothes where magic and cleaned and folded themselves. That had to be the only explanation!

Pikachu had snuck upstairs and blinked, letting out a 'Pika?' as her ears twitched. So her idiot trainer wasn't a boy at all, though being an idiot she hadn't realized it yet. She was probably too dumb to figure it out for herself, which was… honestly kinda sad actually.

Stupid! She couldn't believe she was pitying this idiot of a human.

"Just a minute buddy..." Ash stuffed the clothes inside his(?) backpack. There was that odd ache again, he'd had it several times before but he didn't know why.

It was like, whenever he saw a beautiful woman or helped his mom do her clothes shopping, he felt like something was missing. It was always on the tip of his tongue, looking him square in the face but he could never figure out just what it was he wanted to say to himself.

Just looking at himself in the mirror sometimes made him feel all wrong inside. Like he didn't like who was looking back at him. He wanted to dismiss it as not the man he imagined himself to be, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore that aching feeling.

That something, he didn't know what, was out of place and that something was wrong with him. …but what?

Gary tried to pull the old Pokeball out of his hands, the two having fished it out of a river. "You should stop this, you're such a girl Ashy. You should leave the real Pokemon catching to the men!"

"SHUT UP GARY! Women can be pokemon masters too, like Cynthia or Diantha or Agatha or Lorelei! Would you say any of that to them?"

"Ugh, you idiot, I was trying to insult you, not women. Sheesh, don't give me that lecture. My sister would kill me if she thought I was insulting women!"

Ash wouldn't dare admit it, but the idea of playing with dolls did sound kinda fun. Again, he wasn't sure why as he wasn't interested in playing with dolls, not really. But the way Gary had said it…

Ash was older now looking through an official pokemon league merchandise magazine. He stopped when he saw a new line of clothing showing a young woman dressed in a tank top and skirt labeled the Leafgreen line. He just knew that he HAD to have it looked far better than the Firered line. But how could he even get his mom to buy girl clothes for him? Boys couldn't wear girl clothes, it was illegal!

An Officer Jenny would so totally like arrest him! Though now that he thought about it, he remembered his mom never looked at the packages he ordered and he had more than enough in his allowance.

He couldn't be thinking of doing this though, could he…? But he was. He just had to have it, only if it came with that cute hat though. The thing was, the official league expo hats were never sold, only given out through promotional events. Which if you asked him, was utterly ridiculous he is paying for the product. Why should he have to go to random locations all around the country to get a product he was already paying for?

Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous, as his friend Serena liked to say.

Ash was watching a video series made by diantha about looking good with your pokemon he normally avoided fashion shows but this was Diantha. She'd even invited a young teen model from Unova named Elesa along with her.

The clothing they were showing off, even as out there as it was, looked utterly beautiful. A part of him, quickly suppressed, wondered just what he'd look like in it…

Ash shakes his head leaving his memories. "...sorry about that Pikachu, just got a little bit lost in thought for a moment there. Memories, you know?"

As he walked past the mirror, his fist clenched. He'd been told by more than one girl he was rather handsome and he hated it every time. The tightness got worse, and he felt like punching the mirror.

Just what was wrong with him?

Ash, with his stuffed backpack, looked up at his house and smiled sadly. "Well gonna miss this place I've thought about this day for so long and yet I feel like I'm too much of a coward for not being able to take that first step. Funny isn't it?

Pikachu rolled her eyes and the little demon's cheeks sparked.

"Alright, let's go get you a bite to eat. Maybe then you'll be actually feeling a bit nicer, and we can start your training." the naive young trainer said.

The electric mouse let out another "Pika!" which Ash suspected meant 'don't bet on it!'

LINE BREAK

As ever, his mom was at home behind the counter, with her old Meowscarada waiting tables. "Hello and welcome to Pallet House your one stop hop for all things breakfast, lunch, dinner and even good old snacking will this be for here or to go?"

She then pulled her son into a hug.

"Oh Ashy!"

"Mooooooooooom, gerroff me!"

Pikachu let out a happy little 'cha!' as her idiot's mom reached down to scratch her cheeks.

"Uh, mom, I'd be careful, she doesn't…"

To Ash's stunned silence, his mom picked up the electric devil without incident. "What a cutie you are! I bet you're hungry aren't you, yes you are! Now you just wait right here! I'll get you something to eat, just a second. I'll be back in a flash!"

She turns to her other Pokemon, "Mimey, better start stirring up those Aguav berries!"

Now Ash didn't quite know how, but his mom always had this strange sixth sense about what type of berries a Pokemon liked. And while she was cooking, Pikachu spotted a bottle of ketchup on a table and she let out a little 'Pika!' seeing the sauce of the gods themselves.

As she slashed open the ketchup bottle, she noticed an old plaque on the back of the wall.

"Like it, little buddy?" Ash said. "All of those, all of those are mom's. She's always been my idol, along with Cynthia. All of those badges, she won by herself. Her, Meowscarada and Mimey."

Delia came back, and saw Pikachu looking at the badges. "Oh, yeah, those. I challenged the league myself, I wasn't much older than Ashy. Sadly, I got knocked out in the first round of the Indigo Plateau, and then when my mom got too sick to run this place…"

She sighed, even as her Deerling nuzzled against her leg.

"...and with my husband off traveling the world, I just guess I never got around to trying again…" Deila said, sadly.

Ash, he'd heard this story a few times before and he hated his father. Part of him wanted to take the gym challenge, not just to one day challenge Cynthia and keep his mom's dream alive but to meet his father and punch him square in the face.

"So sweetie are you gonna give this little cutie a name?" Deila asked, looking at Pikachu, who had drained the ketchup bottle dry. Nearby, his mom's Chansey was looking concerned and wondering if she should go get another bottle.

Ash facepalmed. "Yeah, you're right! I do! How about, uh Shocker cus you like to shock me so much!" Pikachu let a few warning sparks fly, even as Ash snapped his fingers. "Uh, ok that was bad uh let me think hmmm ketchup cus you love ketchup!"

"Chu…"

"How about Elesa, after the famous gym leader!"

"CHU!" the little devil said, refusing to be named after a stupid human.

Ash grinned. "I know, I've got it and it's perfect, you'll love it! BUMBLEBEE! See it's the name of this cool robot guy from a cartoon i watched as a kid well technically he was a guy but its gender neutral so it's'

"PIKACHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" the mouse said, lettinng the lightning fly.

Ash lay on the floor, the hatted boy twitching. "...Or not. I think I'll wait a bit to name you…"

Deila smiled at her son. "Oh I remember when me and Xavier fought like that but we became best friends eventually but sweetie you should give your pokemon a name that fits them not just whatever pops into your head."

Xavier was an old Xatu, a gift from Ash's grandma to his mother. Sadly, he'd never gotten a chance to meet his grandma as she'd passed away from old age before he'd been born.

"Don't worry," Deila said. "I'm sure, with time you and Pikachu will get along just fine! Oak's never made a mistake before!"

Though Ash definitely took the rubber gloves she handed him anyway.

"Oh, I'm going to miss you so much!" his mom said, as she hugged him close. "It's going to just not be the same without you around!"

"Don't cry Mom, you're going to make me cry!" Ash said, trying to break away.

"You're right, this is a happy moment! My little boy-" Ash tried to ignore the pang of wrongness he felt at his(?) mom's words. "-all grown up and on his first journey! And don't forget to change your underwear every day!"

"Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooommmm!"

As the rambunctious teen and 'his' stubborn mouse walked off Delia smiled and mused to herself: "something tells me I won't be having a son when I next see my child but a daughter instead. Honestly, that girl. I mean, who does she think is washing and folding the clothes she keeps in that box under her bed? Santa's Jynxes?"

LINE BREAK

Meanwhile, a few miles ahead…

"Okay Pikachu, you gotta work with me buddy… What do you need? More berries, more ketchup? Do you want me to accept you as my new lady and master? …no wait, that's Meowths, just tell me what it is you needd for you to listen to me!"

The stubborn rodent, sitting on a rock taps her foot thinking then grins the pleading teen looking at her waiting excitedly for a response. As she is motioned forward Ash leans in next to the electric rat who then screams at the top of her lungs into Ash's ear: "PIKACHU"

She then proceeded to shock her and laugh at the dumb teen twitching on the ground beneath her.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, storms forecast for later. The fried teen bolted upwards, glaring at the little rat having finally had enough of her antics.

"THAT'S IT! SCREW YOU I'LL FIND A DIFFERENT POKEMON" He looked around in anger and spots a little bird minding its own business pecking away at some seeds. "I'll catch this one without your help! Here I come, Pidgey!"

He tossed a pokeball at it and it was sucked in. However, the little bird broke out almost instantly and turned to glare at Ash who swallowed now recognizing the Pokemon for what it was.

"You're… you're not a pidgey, you're a…" he gulped. "A spearow."

Suddenly he remembered something else, that Route 1 was infamous for a certain flock. And when one Spearow let out a war cry, the rest came to its defense.

Suddenly Ash felt very stupid.

The Spearow was missing its right eye, instead there was a cross shaped scar over where its eye used to be. The Spearow let out a war cry, squawking as it flew towards Ash scratching at his face with its talons.

Off to the side, a certain electric Pokemon was laughing her ass off.

Ash, guarding his face with his sleeve-covered arms, threw a punch at the Spearow. It flew away, the punch missing before Ash grabbed it in his hands.

"HAHAHA CAUGHT YOU!" The Spearow, now well and truly pissed off, bit Ash with its sharp beak. "WHY YOU ILL SHOW YOU!"

So Ash bit it right back.

Pikachu, for her part, was staring in stunned silence at the sheer outright nerve of this girl. Nobody attacked a Spearow, risking it calling its flock. At least, not without a death wish! Did this girl have one? No, she just wanted to prove herself after she'd been so mean to this girl! Pikachu winced, this was her fault so she had to do something about it before this moron got herself killed. Running over to the furious little bird, she tried to calm it down with cries of: "PIKA PIKA PIKA PIKA!"

Now obviously, the Spearow was in no mood to listen to a little rat. The one good eye of the infuriated avion glared at pikachu seemingly glowing red. The now understandably scared mouse pokemon stepped back in terror she knew that look. Some pokemon HATED those who were captured, incredibly jealous of the safety and more importantly strength a trainer can bring a pokemon.

Pikachu swore under her breath as IT finally happened, the thing she'd been dreading. The little bird let out a sharp, and incredibly loud mighty cry of "SPEAROWWWWWWW!"

Then, more Spearow burst out of the trees all glaring daggers at the tiny little thing. Ash realized just how tiny Pikachu actually was, even as they all dive bombed the scared rodent scratching and pecking her.

Ash rose to her feet, bloodied and scarred, and yelled at the Spearow even as a storm broke loose above them. "STOP IT STOP IT I'M THE ONE YOU'RE ANGRY AT! NOW LEAVE HER ALONE!"

They all hit Ash with a combined Gust attack, sending him flying into a tree before resuming their assault on his pokemon. His Pokemon, who he had to help even if it killed him.

The bruised and battered teen bursts to his feet diving into the swarm and grabbing her partner, her starter, the one who is meant to be by her side forever. Bursting forward and running the swarm of claws and beaks following constantly attacking every step of the way his back pack starting to rip.

He was bleeding, his face covered in scars and his whole body was aching in pain. He'd blocked all of it out, his mind focused only on escaping darting through the trees, everything a blur of brown and green, never noticing the pain of his heart pounding in his chest every step he takes more ache-anducing than the last.

LINE BREAK

Elsewhere in the forest a young woman dressed in a yellow and red kimono was studying a flower. The gym leader, a 17 year old stood a rather modest 5 foot 3. Erika had always been a very traditional young woman, and had come out to pick some rare flowers for her perfume. Next to her, leaning against a tree was an old fashioned bike, a gift from her late mother.

Suddenly, she heard a noise coming from the nearby forest and that was all the warning she got before she was thrown to the ground as a boy rushed by.

"Um, excuse me…" Erika said, about to lecture the boy before she saw why she was running.

"Oh no…" Erika said, seeing the rather furious Spearow flock right behind him. The boy's backpack had ripped open from the bottom with everything spilling out. The boy hadn't even noticed, and instead jumped onto her bike, pedaling off saying: "sorry I'll bring it back thank you!"

"Why, I never!"

She started to work herself into a rant, but sighed at how pointless that was. The boy and her beloved bike are long gone. Erika then noticed what had exactly been in the bag. "Wait a minute these are the Leafgreen line for young girls…. Hmmm could that boy actually….."

Her eyes widened, remembering the Spearow and pulling out a Pokeball, enlarging it in her hand. "...She's going to need my help, and how!"

The Spearow had cornered Ash, at the edge of a cliff and the lead Spearow dive-bombed Ash. Even as the rain poured down, he wondered if he was going to die. That didn't matter, he supposed, not as long as Pikachu was safe.

Putting himself between Pikachu and the angry flock, he made a declaration which would forever change his life. "Please I'm the one you want, just don't hurt her! Listen up Spearow, my name is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. I always wanted to be the best trainer in the world but I'll gladly trade my life to protect her. It's my fault this is happening to begin with, I started this so take my life instead! Just… LEAVE HER ALONE!"

The Pikachu stood in stunned disbelief, this idiot… No, her trainer was trying to save her life. She didn't deserve him. What she did next, well it could only be called pure instinct, mustering up all of the strength she still had left, summoning all of the ozone in the atmosphere and…

Letting it fly.

A golden bolt of electricity ripped through the skies, striking the whole flock as a thunderclap broke the silence.

Pikachu smiled weakly, and felt unconsciousness reach up to grab her.

LINE BREAK

Ash was crying as he held his Pikachu in his arms, saying: "No no no, I was supposed to die, not you!"

"Hey hey its ok its ok let me see her" Ash looked up to see the girl who's bike he'd stolen. "Let's get you patched up then we can get her to a pokecenter you won't do her any good if you die first."

Erika looked at the unconcious flock, and sighed when she saw her now barbecued bike.

"Oh well, can't be helped I suppose…" she said, before looking at Ash and then at the Spearow. "They're going to need medical aid as well, because they'll remember you and hate you even more if they're left to heal by themselves. They'll remember trainers, and equate them with only pain if you just leave them here."

Ash winced, remembering a story about a nest of Zubats in Mount Moon that he'd heard from Professor Oak. After so many beatings, they attacked trainers even driving one insane from the constant swarmings.

Digging into his pack, he noted the bitter irony of having to use up all of his Pokeballs on the first day. His words to Oak had really come back to haunt him, hadn't they?

Actually, come to think of it, wasn't this girl a little familiar now that he thought of it? Then it hit him.

"...great, I mugged a gym leader on my first day as a trainer… If I don't die from the Spearow, she'll kill me! She'll probably kill me anyways, after raising my stupid ass from the grave.

Lobbing Pokeball after Pokeball, he watched all but five vanish and winced. Professor Oak was probably going to be shocked, though probably not the pleasantly kind of shocked.

"Uh thank you Miss Erika," Ash said, finally remembering his manners after a little voice in the back of his mind said to use them. It sounded like his mom, actually.

Erika, to his shock, smiled sweetly at him.

"It's ok now then please sit still while I patch you up," Erika said, tending to his wounds with a wilderness survival kits "I don't mean to pry but your backpack, it ripped open and…"

Erika handed him the box. As he stared in horror, a pit of dread formed in his stomach. His crime had been exposed and to a gym leader at that! He was so doomed, there was no getting out of this and-"

Erika giggled, and gave him another smile. This one was one of understanding, and what's more, actual sympathy. "It's alright, I understand."

"Understand what?"

"You're not the first person who likes to dress up like a girl, and I'm not going to turn you in. Don't worry. It's not a crime, not here at least," Erika said and Ash went red realizing he'd rambled all of this aloud.

"Y-yes its mine I admit it, I like to dress like a girl and I know it's wrong but every time I put on boy clothes it feels like-"

"Like you're putting on shoes a size too small?" Erika asked, gently placing a hand on his cheek. "There is nothing wrong with any of that, nothing at all. I'd like to ask you a few more questions, but we really should get to Viridian."

"R-Right…" Ash said, looking at Pikachu. "Hold on little buddy… I promise, I'll save you. I promise…"

He didn't know why, but somehow he felt right here, right now that the winds of destiny were changing for the better.

He heard a shriek, and looked up to see a white feathered dragon flying across the now clearing skies. Somehow, he knew he was right.

Somehow, he knew everything, from here on in, would change for him and for Pikachu.

LINE BREAK

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter me and Brick worked hard on this and will have the 2nd chapter out soon

Next time ashley fully comes to terms with who she is realizes she fried Erika's bike and meets a dorkasterdly trio.

(Brick's notes: I'm mostly just doing the grammar edits for now, all of this stuff came out of my big sister's heads. I tweaked lines and the like, but most of this is her brain at work)