Chapter 1
This is a commission request story for a friend of mine. He thought I should go for a pure Pokemon story with a different Ash Ketchum, so why not?
I like how different Ash's are either smarter but still naive, have a different starter than Pikachu, or are unique and not some edge lord due to revenge stories.
This Ash Ketchum is mute and was bullied in Kanto, especially by Gary Oak. After an accident that almost took Ash's life, Delia Ketchum left Pallet Town with a bit of help from her ex-husband and made a new life in a different region. Ash was able to grow up in a school with people who didn't insult him and treated him like a real friend.
Now that Ash has defeated the Pokémon League in his new home, Paldea, he wants to go back to his old home and take on the Kanto Region, especially since he heard an old friend of his was now the champion of the Kanto Region.
So grab your favorite drink and snack since it's time for Ash Ketchum: The Mute Trainer.
Paldea: Ketchum Residence.
"Are you sure you still want to go back there, Ash?" Delia Ketchum asked while looking back at her sixteen-year-old son, who was Ashura, or Ash Ketchum, who had black hair styled with some red highlights in the back, which was due to a girlfriend of his who thought it would make him look cool and dangerous to his opponents, which made the teenager chuckle at his friend's enthusiasm that also helped him out of his shell when he first arrived in the new region.
Despite moving to a new home, Ash was still nervous about meeting other kids due to the trauma that was inflicted upon him by Gary and the group that picked on him and made his life a living Hell. None of the adults except his mother and a small Pokemon that Ash found as a kid truly cared about him and protected him from harm.
However, it was thanks to a certain trio that helped him out of his bubble and taught him not to let fear control his life and to live each day as if it were an adventure, or at least that's what his first girlfriend said to him.
Ash nodded to his mother, who smiled at her son, reassuring her. This made her shed a few tears, as she was so proud of how much her little boy, who hid behind her legs, had grown into a fine young man.
Delia brought breakfast over to the table and hugged her son in a warm hug, which made Ash moan in comfort as he loved the warmth his mother gave him since she always knew when he was acting tough to comfort and reassure her that Ash was fine knowing how much his mother sacrificed for him and didn't want to worry her so he recalled seeing Dark types as his way to put on a persona that made him intimidating to his opponents, plus it helped his very first partner helped him learn how to battle without speaking.
"I know why you want to go back, but I won't ever stop worrying about you. It's a mother's job to worry about their child, especially when they're about to go into the world. In fact, I was afraid many times when you and your friends were facing either Paradox Pokemon, Team Star, or the Titans. I know some may call me overprotective, but it's always a mother's fear that they won't ever be there to keep their children safe; however, you aren't a child. You are sixteen years old now and a Pokemon Champion, but promise me that you will not forget that even though you may look scary like your father when he was a trainer, never forget this: what makes you special, your heart that allows you to understand people better."
Delia said this, which made Ash smile at his mother's warm and caring side. She was like a Gardevior, a caring and kind person who could read a person like a book but had the rage of a Kangaskhan when mad that someone harmed her little warrior.
'I will, Mom. I promise,' Ash said with his psychic powers, which amazed him at first since he had read about them. He never thought he would be able to use them until Delia giggled and kissed her son's forehead.
"That's my little champion. Now make sure to pack enough, you know what, before going." Delia said, which made Ash turn red as he hid his face in his hands.
'MOM!'
"Don't mom me since I know you forget to pack extras sometimes," Delia said, with Ash groaning while eating his food. A chuckle was heard as his partner made himself known.
'Nice to see you finally awake,' Ash said to his partner, which earned him more snickering from his first Pokémon partner, who had always been loyal to him.
'As if I would miss my master's mother embarrassing him in the morning.' Ash's Umbreon said, coming out of its bed. Delia smiled and patted the small Eveelution on its head before welcoming Ash's most loyal Pokémon.
"Good morning, Luna; how's my little spy doing this morning?" Delia asked while nuzzling the small dog's face, which made Ash a bit jealous since he knew his partner was a second kid to his mother and her little spy to make sure he was doing well.
The Ketchum family continued to enjoy their morning until Ash finished up and cleaned his dishes. Then he headed upstairs to look at the Pokeballs that held his teammates.
After becoming champion of the Paldea region, Ash continued his education and training because he wanted to be ready to face the Kanto Gyms. He pushed his team past their limits, and now his army of eighteen Pokémon is ready to take on a new league.
Ash was interested in Dark, Ice, Poison, Steel, Psychic, Ghost, Dragon, and Fighting types that were more unique than the classic Pokémon.
When he started, Umbreon was his starter, with Fuecoco being his second Pokémon. However, Ash began to capture his new teammates, who made his team into a deadly force to be reckoned with. Each of his Pokémon has different levels of skills.
The first was his Champion team, the best of the best, though he only used them when facing Champion Pokemon as well, given their power and skills.
This team was Umbreon, Hydriegon, Aggron, Lucario, Gardevoir, and Skelderige.
These six enjoyed being able to battle with Champions and were his most powerful Pokémon, especially since Nemona made a joke that they were his Knights, which intrigued Ash. Hence, he decided to call them his Grand Masters, which made Delia giggle as she enjoyed the name of his group.
The second group was his Master Level Team. These were on par with the Elite Four members, and each of them was deadly, given their abilities instead of pure power.
The Master Level Team consisted of Sandslash in its Alolan Form, Kingambit for its abilities, Flutter Mane for being a mischievous prankster who used the shadows to fight, Scream Tail, who used its voice to disorient its foes, Miraidon since it was his third partner in this region and bonded with him when they tried to restore the dragon's strength. Finally, Iron Bundle, since its extra speed boost, makes it a deadly glass cannon.
Finally, his Expert Level was for Elite Trainers who are close but not there yet at Master Level due to not being used very often like the others, but they didn't mind.
This team consisted of Ninetails in its Alolan Form, Corviknight, Agishslash, Clodsire, Tinkaton, and finally, his Sprigatito, a Pokémon he gained from an egg he raised in his nursing class.
Ash smiled as he picked up his Master Team. He knew his other Pokémon would want to stay here, so he headed to the back of his home and released them all. They seemed content and calm, knowing what their trainer and partner were doing.
'I wanted to thank you all for being the best Pokémon that someone like me could ask for. I'll be taking on a new league in a new region, but I'll only be taking my Master team with me since I know many of you wish to remain here and rest after all the chaos that's happened thanks to the Paradox Pokemon,' Ash said. The others understood their partner's caring side and nodded before a lady walked towards him and looked at Ash before asking.
Can I come along? I do not wish to leave your side." Miraidon, in her human form, asked since she had gained a human form thanks to Terrestrial Energy reviving her when she died, taking a hit from Professors Miraidon and Koraidon at the same time.
Ash was a bit embarrassed to have his partner, who used to ride a motorcycle and walk around as a person. Still, Delia welcomed Miraidon, or Mira for short, and treated her as a second daughter. However, there were awkward times, such as Mira learning about clothes and personal hygiene as well as personal space when she continued to sleep next to Ash in his bed and even scared him half to death when Mira thought he was in danger thanks to him 'singing' in the shower.
'You can still come along since you have learned how to control your electric powers without harming other electrical devices like cars and planes, though,' Ash said, which made Mira smile and some of his Pokémon snicker. They knew their master had a soft spot for the Paradox Pokemon, especially since they saw each other as kindred spirits: outcasts of their kind and different, but that's what made them unique.
"Wonderful, since I was hoping to see this new region that was also the hometown of my master's birthplace," Mira said, which made Ash even more embarrassed. Mira did not know that the term master, when used by humans, meant that he 'owned' her. He did not see her as a thing since he saw her as a person, which is why her speech makes him worried when others see him walking around with her in Kanto.
'Please do remember you can't call me master in public.' Ash said with tinted cheeks since he was worried about her tongue getting them in trouble.
Mira nodded, registering the order in her memory banks before an amused voice came into the area.
"Hey guys! How's our favorite champion doing this morning with his mistress?~" The voice asked, which made Ash groan, knowing who said such things and was his first girlfriend.
'Good morning to you as well, Nemona,' Ash said as he turned around to see his first girlfriend, who was also the former champion of Paldea.
"So you ready to take on Kanto and crush them with your might so we can face each other in the Kanto League?" Nemona asked, excited about battling the gym leaders of Kanto and also facing her rival/boyfriend in the Pokemon League.
'You do know that I do plan to catch a team in Kanto as well and swap out my team, right?' Ash asked while Nemona nodded.
"Of course! This is why taking on the gyms is the best way to enjoy a new region! Aren't I smart?" Nemona said as she glowed around her until another voice shut it off.
"Says the battle maniac who almost failed all classes besides P.E. and Pokémon battle." The voice said as Nemona turned to stone and was reminded of her weaknesses.
Ash chuckled at that voice and commented because he knew that the voice meant his big brother was there. Their statement was true since Nemona was amazing in PE and Pokemon Battling, but when it came to Home education, history, science, or math, Nemona tended to fall short.
Plus, Nemona also wears that brace on her throwing arm to help with her aim since she's terrible at throwing Pokeballs towards the Pokémon.
"Morning Ash, sorry we're a bit late, but this battle maniac wanted to try and challenge you this morning even though I've told her that she can't fully invest in her love for battling since she barely passed her Home Ec final." Arven, a very good friend of Ash's, was also a big brother to the mute boy since he was antisocial and despised bullying. So the two hit it off and became quick friends.
"Hey! It's not my fault I can't cook! They don't know taste." Nemona pouted before Arven chuckled at her pout.
"Says the girl who thought mixing the spiciest berries was a good idea for a sandwich?"
"It's to wake you up and get fired up for battles!"
"Or melt your stomach."
"I don't want to hear that from the antisocial bookworm!"
"I'd rather be a bookworm than a trainer who's only good at using her fists and can't cook to save her life!"
Nemona and Arven argued, beginning to quarrel like children, which made Ash sigh but smile since the two had always been at each other's throats due to their differences.
Nemona taught him to live his life and got him excited about battling and even bonding with her Pokémon. At the same time, Arven helped Ash learn how to appreciate the small things in life, like Arven's Mabostiff, his love for cooking to make others smile, and even cheering up his brother when he struggled with his psychic powers.
Ash was then distracted by a small hand tugging at the side of his jacket.
"Morning."
Ash smiled down at the mop of red and blue hair that belonged to his second girlfriend, Penny, the secret leader of Team Star and a genius in technology. Penny and Ash first met in the library since Ash enjoyed learning more about how to handle his psychic powers better, which led to Penny being fascinated with them and helped Ash learn to control his powers so he can do basic things like teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy, and control his emotions since Ash's emotions are tied to his powers meaning if he becomes enraged or afraid, then his powers will go berserk. Still, when he is calm, he is able to control them.
It took a little trial and error, a couple of Paradox Pokémon attacking them, and a few close calls with the Titans, but Ash was able to control his powers fully.
'Good morning, Penny. Did you get enough sleep?' Ash asked, which made Penny bury her face in his shirt. Penny had a habit of staying up super late while working on projects and such, even though she was the smartest girl in their class.
"...I got five hours of sleep. I'll sleep on the flight to Kanto." Penny said, which made Ash smile at her growth before kissing her forehead until he saw Arven smirking at his little brother with Nemona pouting.
"Can't I have a hug and kiss, too?" Nemona asked. Since she had never felt a romantic interest before in her whole life, she could be very jealous of Penny and Arven, who were better at understanding Ash on a more emotional level than her.
Ash smiled and nodded his head before hugging her head and kissing the top, making Nemona blush a bit. Penny smiled at the tomboy and let Nemona have her hug.
'I love you, Nemona. Never forget that,' Ash said before hugging Nemona close, which made Nemona so happy that she was able to explore these feelings with someone as patient as a nun.
"Thank you, Ash," Nemona said. At the same time, Delia watched the four of them from the kitchen window. She smiled at her son with his two girlfriends and brother before turning to see an old photo she kept hidden from herself. In it, she saw herself in a hospital gown, holding her son while her ex-husband smiled down at the two and hugged them with tears in his eyes.
"I hope you know how much your son has accomplished. You'd be proud of him." Delia said before looking at the sky and thought how he was doing at his 'business.'
Kanto Region.
Giovanni was many things in Team Rocket. He was a terrifying boss, a ruthless gym leader, and a man who showed no mercy to those who got in his way, but he was also a father who loved his wife and son with all his heart.
And despite his ruthless reputation in the criminal underworld, Giovanni often found himself reminiscing about the life he could have had—the one where he wasn't consumed by his ambitions, where his family remained intact, and where his son never had to grow up in fear or resentment due to his powers. But life had taken a different course, and now, as he sat in his lavish office at the Team Rocket headquarters, reviewing reports on the region's up-and-coming trainers, along with reports in Paldea on his son's accomplishments in the Paldea League.
Ash Ketchum: Champion of the Paldea Region.
Giovanni's breath hitched for just a moment before he regained his composure. It had been years since he had last seen his son, and while he had always kept a distant eye on him, he never interfered with Ash's life in Paldea. Giovanni knew he had no right, and Delia made it clear when she left Pallet Town with Ash that they were better off without him and his dangerous lifestyle.
"Delia was always more intimidating than I was, even though it goes to show that one should never mess with a mother bear that will protect its cubs from harm," Giovanni said, recalling when Delia was a trainer and a delinquent, which no one would've believed unless they saw the picture of Delia when she was a biker trainer.
Yet, in the Paldea newspaper, Ashura Ketchum returned to Kanto after making a name for himself. Not just as a trainer—but as a Champion.
Giovanni leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in thought. The boy had grown into a formidable trainer, and judging by the information in front of him, he was no longer the weak, bullied child who once cowered under the taunts of others and hid behind both himself and his mother. This Ash Ketchum was strong, determined, and more than capable of taking on the challenges that Kanto would throw at him.
A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at Giovanni's lips. There was pride buried beneath his otherwise stoic demeanor, but it was quickly overshadowed by concern. Kanto was not Paldea, and granted, he was still the Gym Leader of the Viridian City Gym. He knew that given his son's skills, he would soon make his way here to challenge him to a battle.
The only question is if he would be ready since Giovanni knew the Gym Leaders had changed since his son left Kanto with his mother, and some of the gym leaders either retired or were replaced by others when they were stripped of their titles.
With a sigh, Giovanni pressed a button on his desk. "Matori," he addressed his secretary, "bring me everything we have on Ash Ketchum's movements in Paldea. And ensure Team Rocket stays out of his way. I want no interference."
"Understood, sir," came the immediate reply of his assistant before the call ended.
Giovanni stared at the documents in front of him once more. It was only a matter of time before their paths would cross again, and when they did, he wondered—would Ash be ready to face the truth?
Or, better yet, would Giovanni be able to face his son once again after leaving them when he was ten years old?
Back in Paldea – Ketchum Residence
Ash packed his last few essentials, his mind swirling with anticipation and a hint of nervousness. Going back to Kanto wasn't just about conquering the League—it was about facing his past, the ghosts he left behind, and proving to himself that he was no longer the scared little boy who fled all those years ago.
His gaze drifted to the photo on his nightstand, one that his mother didn't know about since he may have accidentally read his mother's mind when he asked about his father and hardly remembered much about him. Delia avoided it by saying his father left them, which was partially true since Giovanni did leave them, though not because he cheated on her or anything like that.
Ash saw his mother sleeping, looked into her memories, and saw his father. This led him to look up to his father and learn that he was the Viridian City Gym Leader, but Ash knew there was more to it since he also saw that his father was the leader of a criminal organization.
Ash wanted to see any old photos of when his father was with them and found one in an old photo album. It was an old one, taken before they had left Pallet Town. The photo showed a much younger Ash, with wide, innocent eyes, standing next to his mother and his father.
Giovanni.
Ash's jaw tightened as he picked up the photo and traced his father's face with his thumb. He had not hated him since he learned that he had helped them get settled into their new home in Paldea, but he had not forgiven him either—not yet. This journey back home could give him the closure he needed to understand why his dad left them and never tried to reach out to them.
A gentle nudge at his side pulled him from his thoughts. Luna, his ever-loyal Umbreon, looked up at him with understanding eyes.
'I know, girl,' Ash said telepathically, 'I'll be okay. I promise.'
Luna gave a soft bark in response before curling up by his feet.
Ash took a deep breath, steeling himself. This was it—the next big step. He had conquered Paldea, and now Kanto awaited. With his team, his friends, and his strength, he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Even if one of those challenges happened to be his father.
'It's been six years since that day, and now, it's time for the coward to return to my home,' Ash said as he caught up with his friends as they boarded their flight and began to head out to a new region, where things were different now after many years.
One of the massive changes occurred in a certain town where a certain trainer resided. They were sitting in a throne room of sorts, with blood splattered all over the walls and floors.
The trainer sitting on said throne was a slim young woman of medium height. She has long black hair with shorter layers around her face and a fringe that covers her eyes. She wears a small red dress, black in the middle at the waist, with a slit on the sides, yellow cuffs over black tights/leggings, white gloves, and red and yellow knee-high boots.
The woman stood still as if she were a statue on her throne instead of a person until her eyes began to glow, and her hair began to fly in the air like Medusa's hair when she was awakened.
The woman then looked at the front door of her gym and blasted it open to float out and fly into the sky a bit until she turned towards the direction of a certain flight.
"I sense it. A powerful presence who feels like me, " the woman said before looking at the border of her home. She floated to the gates at said border and reached out, only to be blasted back by a forcefield.
"I will wait until you are near here, and maybe you can be my lover, and I can no longer be alone, " the woman said as she looked down at the doll in her hands and hugged it close to her chest, tears leaving her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Daddy. I never should've let the mean people take me, " the woman said as she closed her eyes and went back to sleep, unaware that she was truly somewhere else.
"Sabrina has been asleep and showed no signs of waking up?" a scientist asked, to which their assistants shook their heads before looking back at the stasis chamber that held the most powerful psychic in all of Kanto.
Sabrina, a girl who was an extremely talented psychic user and part of an experiment that was for those with unique abilities. However, due to an accident that happened when Sabrina was thirteen, she lost her father and mother, which resulted in her becoming enraged and causing massive damage and casualties, which resulted in them putting her in a stasis chamber where she grew and slept in her mind.
The scientists have been able to stabilize her powers but know that as she gets older, her powers grow along with her, too.
Back on the flight to Kanto, Ash sat quietly in his seat, staring out the window at the endless sky. His mind, however, was elsewhere—back in Pallet Town, back to the faces of those who tormented him, and back to the unfinished business he left behind. He clenched his fist, feeling the warmth of Luna, his Umbreon, resting beside him. The Dark-type Pokémon always sensed his unease and nuzzled against his arm to comfort him.
'Thanks, Luna,' Ash conveyed through their psychic bond, and the Pokémon purred in response, eyes closed in relaxation.
Penny, sitting next to him, peeked up from her tablet. "Thinking about Kanto again?" she asked softly, pushing up her glasses.
Ash nodded. 'Yeah… it's going to be different now. I'm not the same scared kid I was back then.' His eyes flickered with determination. 'I'm going to show them that I've grown stronger—without words.'
Nemona, from across the aisle, leaned in with an eager grin. "And you've got us by your side! Kanto's gyms better be ready because Team Ash is coming in hot!" she declared, pumping her fist.
Arven chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Just don't burn the whole region down in your excitement, battle maniac," he teased.
Despite their playful banter, Ash couldn't shake a strange feeling—a tug at the edge of his consciousness, something powerful reaching out to him. It was distant but familiar in a way that made his skin prickle.
'W-What is this feeling?' Ash asked himself as he pressed a hand to his temple, his psychic abilities reacting to the disturbance. Penny noticed his shift in demeanor and furrowed her brows in concern.
"Ash?"
Ash didn't respond immediately, as he felt someone or something trying to connect with him until he saw the woman look at Ash's mind and ask.
{Who are you?}
Ash's eyes widened as he cut off the connection. He saw Penny's scared face and reassured her, shaking his head. 'It's nothing, Penny. I just felt something familiar out there.'
Far away in Saffron City, within the high-tech facility housing Sabrina's stasis chamber, the monitors began to flicker erratically. The psychic energy readings spiked, and alarms blared across the lab.
"She's responding to something," one scientist shouted, frantically typing commands into the console. "The psionic waves are intensifying—we've never seen a reaction like this before!"
Inside the chamber, Sabrina's serene face twitched, and her fingers curled slightly. Her subconscious mind had felt it, too—something powerful, something like her. Her dream self, still trapped within the illusion of her mind, stared out at the barrier that separated her from the real world.
"Ashura Ketchum. Who are you?" Sabrina whispered, clutching the doll tighter as a faint, eerie smile spread across her lips. She felt a strong connection to a kindred spirit like her.
And she would have him no matter what.
Back on the plane, Ash suddenly gasped, gripping the armrest tightly as an invisible force pressed against his mind. The sensation was cold, distant, yet undeniably familiar. Luna immediately stood up, growling lowly in response.
Nemona and Penny looked at him with alarm. "Ash! What's wrong?" Nemona asked.
Ash didn't answer right away, his eyes flickering with a soft blue glow before it faded. He exhaled slowly, rubbing his temples. 'Someone… is calling me. A psychic force. It's strong… and lonely.'
Penny's eyes widened. "Could it be… another psychic like you?"
Ash hesitated before nodding. 'Maybe. But it's different—there's something wrong with it. It feels… broken.'
Arven leaned forward, his expression serious for once. "If they're anything like you, then this could be a big deal. Should we turn back or avoid this psychic?"
Ash stared ahead, his jaw tightening. He didn't know what awaited him in Kanto, but one thing was certain—he wasn't the same boy who ran away all those years ago.
'No. We'll keep moving forward. I made a vow I would not run, and I meant it,' Ash said. His friends were concerned but supported him as they agreed to help him.
Which began the start of an exciting adventure as the journey began!
Scene!
Sabrina and other things will change in Kanto, so get ready. Sabrina is going to be a dangerous person once she breaks out of her stasis and searches for the one she wishes to take for herself.
Let me know if this Lives or dies. Ta-Ta!~