In the beautiful town called Pallet Town, there lived Professor Oak, or as some call him, the Pokémon Professor. In a two-story house was a family known as the Ketchum family. One boy was up very early while the other was still asleep. The one who was up was none other than Naruto Ketchum. He had gone to bed while his younger brother had stayed up watching a program in which Professor Oak was explaining the starter Pokémon.
Naruto sighed and walked into his brother's room. "Wake up, Ash, or else you'll be late to get your starter, little brother," he told him.
Ash groaned. "Let me sleep five more minutes," he told Naruto, but Naruto wouldn't have it, so he grabbed Ash by the leg and dragged him out of bed.
Thud!
Downstairs, their mom was humming and didn't hear the thud of Ash being pulled from his bed. She was cooking breakfast. As she cooked, her husband walked in from being away for a few days. He hugged her from behind.
"Hello, Delia. How are you doing this morning, honey?" Red asked his wife.
She turned around in his arms and replied, "I am fine, darling. How are you doing this morning?" she asked in return.
He smiled. "I am fine, honey," he told her and kissed her.
They broke apart when they heard gagging. They always kissed, but one of their boys never liked seeing his parents kiss.
They turned around and saw Ash making the gagging sound. Naruto, on the other hand, was smirking. "Sup, Dad?" he asked.
Red smirked back. "Nothing much, son. Ash, stop it. You should be used to your mother and me kissing when I get home," he told Ash.
Ash whined, "Come on, Dad, you always do this. Give it a rest."
His comment got the other three to laugh.
Ash whined again. "Come on!" he shouted.
Delia frowned. "Enough. It's time to eat," she told them and took the food to the table.
They took thirty minutes to eat and talk. Naruto looked at the clock and sighed. "Well, time to go get our starters." He stood up. "Excuse us, Mom, Dad," he said and dragged Ash to Professor Oak's lab.
A few minutes later.
They arrived at Professor Oak's lab, which wasn't far from their house, as they lived just a few feet away. Naruto dropped Ash on the ground and knocked on the door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Soon, someone walked toward the door, hitting things as they rushed to answer.
Naruto sweatdropped when he heard stuff being knocked over. Soon, the door opened, revealing Professor Oak, who smiled. "Welcome, boys. Good morning, Naruto, Ash," he greeted them.
Ash stood up and glared at his older brother for dragging him when he could walk. Naruto ignored his glare and looked over at the professor, noticing the bags under his eyes. "Professor Oak, you haven't slept at all?" Naruto asked.
The older man nodded. "No, I have not, Naruto. I had a troublesome Pokémon to deal with last night," he told him.
Naruto nodded. "Maybe you should rest after we get our starters," he told the older man.
Professor Oak smiled and nodded, then motioned for them to follow him.
A few moments later, Naruto and Ash were standing in front of Professor Oak.
Professor Oak looked at the Ketchum boys and smiled, then walked up to a desk, grabbed two things off it, and walked to the table with three Poké Balls.
Samuel Oak motioned toward the Poké Balls. "These three Poké Balls contain the three starters of the Kanto region: Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle," he told them.
Naruto glanced around, smiled, and walked up to the ball with the fire symbol, grabbing it. "I choose Charmander!" he exclaimed.
He tossed the ball up, and out came Charmander.
"Char! Charmander!" the small fire-type called out enthusiastically, blinking up at Naruto.
Naruto walked up to the little fire-type and bent down. "Hello, Charmander. I hope we can get along fine."
Charmander grinned. "Char char!"
Naruto glanced at his little brother. "Ash, it's your turn," he told him.
Ash grinned and walked up, then frowned when he noticed the two Pokémon were already gone. "Huh? Aw, man! Bro, you got a starter, and I didn't? I'm surprised Charmander was still here," he told his brother.
Samuel grinned and pressed a button on the table. "I have one Pokémon left, and I warn you now, Ash—it's a handful," he told him as a Poké Ball with an electric symbol appeared.
Samuel pressed the button on the Poké Ball, and the Pokémon emerged, calling out its name.
"Pika, Pikachu!"
"This is a Pikachu," Samuel Oak told Ash.
Ash grinned, walked up, and bent down on one knee. "Hey, Pikachu, I would like for us to be friends!" he exclaimed.
Pikachu sniffed him, smiled, and jumped onto Ash's shoulder, shocking Samuel Oak. Pikachu had never even let him touch it after he caught it—Oak had to defend himself using his weakest Pokémon.
Soon, the boys had their Pokédex and five Poké Balls each.
Naruto bowed. "Thanks, Professor Oak," he told Samuel.
Samuel smiled at the young man. "Be safe, boys," he told them as they ran out to meet their mom at the entrance.
A few minutes later.
Naruto and Ash arrived at the entrance, where they saw their mother, Delia, and their father, Red Ketchum. Naruto calmly walked up to his parents, Charmander on one side, while Ash was on the other side with Pikachu perched on his shoulder.
Naruto walked up to his mom and wrapped his arms around her. "See you later, Mother," he told her.
She hugged him back and kissed his forehead. "Be careful, son," she told him.
Ash walked up to his mom after she was done hugging his brother and hugged her as well.
Naruto moved over to his father. "Hey, Dad, sorry to run, but see you later," he told him as he shook his father's hand.
Red smirked. "Well, boys, train hard and help people in need when you're able to," he told his sons, then handed them 10,000 Poké Dollars.
Naruto and Ash both hugged their parents again, then stepped away after putting the money away.
Naruto looked at Charmander and returned him to his Poké Ball. Then he looked at his brother. "Ash, we will part ways from here on. I would love to travel with you, but I want to be alone for a while. But if you ever need me, I'll be there for you," he told Ash.
Ash nodded, and they both walked down Route One, but Ash rushed down the path ahead of Naruto.
As Ash went ahead, Naruto ran into the first Pokémon at the start of his journey.
Naruto pulled out the Pokédex and pointed it at the Pokémon.
The device spoke in its robotic voice:
"Pidgey. The Tiny Bird Pokémon. Pidgey is very docile. If attacked, it will often kick up sand to protect itself rather than fight back. It has excellent navigational skills, using wind patterns to find its way."
After placing the Pokédex back in his pocket, Naruto grabbed Charmander's Poké Ball.
"Charmander, I choose you!" Naruto shouted as he threw the ball up.
The Poké Ball burst open, and Charmander emerged in a flash of light.
"Char! Charmander!" the fire-type called out, eager for battle.
Naruto exclaimed, "Pidgey, I'm going to catch you!" to the small bird Pokémon, which wasn't acting as docile as its Pokédex entry had described.
Pidgey struck first, using Tackle.
"Dodge, Charmander!" Naruto called out.
The fire-type swiftly avoided the attack, and Naruto issued another command. "Charmander, use Ember!"
Charmander inhaled deeply, then launched a small burst of flames toward Pidgey, executing the attack as instructed.
The attack hit, knocking Pidgey down.
"Okay, one more Ember!" Naruto called out to Charmander, grabbing an empty Poké Ball.
Charmander did as he was told.
Afterward, Naruto threw the empty Poké Ball at Pidgey.
The ball sucked Pidgey in.
It rocked back and forth a few times.
DING!
"YES! I did it!" Naruto shouted before calming down.
He then scanned Pidgey's Poké Ball with his Pokédex.
The robotic voice echoed:
"Pidgey. Female. Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack. Ability: Keen Eye—prevents accuracy loss."
Naruto tossed Pidgey's Poké Ball up, letting Pidgey out. He then healed both Charmander and Pidgey.
"Welcome to the team, Pidgey," he told her.
Naruto smirked. "We will become champions," he told his Charmander and Pidgey.
Then, he returned them to their Poké Balls and headed toward Viridian City.
As he walked, he ran into another Pokémon—it looked like a rat Pokémon.
He pointed the Pokédex at it, and the device activated.
The robotic voice sounded out:
"Rattata. The Mouse Pokémon. Rattata is cautious and quick to flee from danger. It bites anything if it attacks, and its sharp fangs can leave deep marks. This Pokémon thrives in nearly any environment."
"Nice," Naruto said with a wide grin.
"Pidgey, front and center!" he called out.
Pidgey took to the air, flying in a battle stance. "Pidg-eeey!" it cried.
Naruto grinned as the Rattata lowered itself into a battle stance as well.
"Pidgey, use Sand Attack! Then follow it up with Tackle!" Naruto commanded.
Pidgey did as told, kicking up sand into Rattata's eyes.
Rattata flinched slightly, but shook its head to clear its vision before charging forward with Quick Attack, moving at a blinding speed and slamming into Pidgey.
"Shake it off, Pidgey! Use Tackle again!" Naruto shouted.
Pidgey regained its balance and rushed forward, colliding with Rattata and sending the small rodent stumbling.
Rattata growled before retaliating with Tail Whip, lowering Pidgey's defenses.
"Pidgey, use Gust attack!" Naruto called out.
Pidgey did as she was told, flapping her wings powerfully to generate a strong gust.
Her attack rushed toward Rattata, striking the small Pokémon with full force.
Rattata wobbled before collapsing, knocked out by the attack.
Naruto threw an empty Poké Ball, hitting Rattata's body and sucking it inside.
The ball rocked back and forth a few times.
DING!
"Yes! I caught another one!" Naruto shouted.
He then scanned Rattata's Poké Ball with his Pokédex.
The robotic voice echoed:
"Rattata. Male. Moves: Tackle, Quick Attack, Tail Whip. Ability: Run Away—makes escaping from wild battles easier."
"Nice, I wonder if Rattata has any egg moves," Naruto wondered out loud.
Naruto then grinned as he started heading toward Viridian City.
A few minutes later…
After battling a few trainers and more Pokémon, his team had grown much stronger.
He arrived at Viridian City but was suddenly stopped by Officer Jenny.
Naruto frowned and showed her his Pokédex.
The Pokédex activated, its robotic voice speaking aloud:
"Trainer ID: Naruto Ketchum. Age: Fourteen. Registered Pokédex owner."
Officer Jenny nodded as she listened to the Pokédex verification.
"All right, Naruto Ketchum," she said. "We've had reports of suspicious activity in the area, so I had to check. You seem clear. Welcome to Viridian City!"
Naruto sighed in relief and grinned. "Thanks, Officer Jenny! I'll be careful while I'm here."
Officer Jenny gave him a small smile. "Good. Stay out of trouble, and if you see anything suspicious, report it immediately."
Naruto nodded before stepping past her, excited to explore Viridian City.
Before entering, he glanced at a wanted poster and immediately recognized the symbol—Team Rocket.
His and Ash's father, Red, had warned them about Team Rocket when they were younger.
Officer Jenny noticed Naruto's narrowed eyes suddenly glowing blue—his aura had unlocked.
However, she said nothing and simply watched as Naruto disappeared from her view.
Naruto made his way toward the Pokémon Center to get his Pokémon checked out and healed.
While there, he also signed up for the Pokémon League, preparing for the battles ahead.
Naruto asked Nurse Joy if his little brother, Ash Ketchum, was there.
After securing a room to stay for a few days, Naruto planned to head into Viridian Forest to train his Pokémon and catch more team members. He grinned at the thought of expanding his roster.
Deciding to check in with his family, he dialed his home number.
Ring... Ring...
"Hello?" Delia's face appeared on the screen.
"Hey, Mom! I made it to Viridian City. I guess Ash is here, but he's asleep right now," Naruto told her.
Delia smiled warmly. "That's wonderful, sweetheart! You boys are moving so fast—I hope you're taking care of yourself."
Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, I'm doing fine. I caught a couple of Pokémon already!"
Delia's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, that's great! Which Pokémon did you catch?"
Naruto grinned. "I got a Pidgey and a Rattata so far. I plan to train in Viridian Forest and catch a few more before heading to Pewter City."
Delia nodded approvingly. "That sounds like a solid plan! Just make sure to rest and stay safe. Oh, and if you see Ash, tell him to call me, okay?"
Naruto smirked. "Will do, Mom."
Delia beamed. "I'm so proud of you, Naruto. Keep working hard, and remember—we're always here cheering for you."
Naruto's heart warmed at his mother's words. "Thanks, Mom. I'll check in again soon. Love you!"
"Love you too, sweetheart. Take care."
Naruto ended the call, feeling refreshed and ready for the next step in his journey
Naruto grinned and walked toward his room.
In the middle of the night, the city's alarm system activated as Team Rocket was spotted in the air on a balloon.
Soon, they descended through the windows in the roof, demanding Nurse Joy hand over all the Pokémon in the Pokémon Center, not caring whether they were sick or injured.
Naruto and Ash rushed into the lobby, ready to confront the intruders.
Team Rocket introduced themselves with dramatic flair.
"Cassidy and Butch!" they announced, striking their signature pose.
Naruto, Ash, Nurse Joy, and Misty—who had just arrived with a broken bike that Ash had apparently damaged somehow—all sweat-dropped at the display.
Naruto stepped forward. "I choose you, Charmander!" he called, tossing his starter's Poké Ball.
Ash followed suit. "I choose you, Pidgey!" he declared, sending out his second Pokémon.
Cassidy smirked. "Rattata, I choose you!" she called, throwing her Poké Ball, revealing Rattata.
Butch grinned. "Mankey, I choose you!" he shouted, calling out his Pokémon.
Naruto quickly remembered what his mother had told him earlier. "Ash, after this is over, call Mom. She's worried about you."
Ash nodded. "Got it."
The battle erupted as Butch made the first move. "Mankey, use Scratch!" he commanded.
Cassidy followed up. "Rattata, use Quick Attack!"
Naruto reacted swiftly. "Charmander, dodge and use Smokescreen! Follow it up with Dragon Rage!"
Ash joined in. "Pidgey, use Gust!" Then he glanced at Naruto. "Sorry, bro."
Cassidy scoffed. "That won't stop us! Rattata, push through and use Tackle!"
Butch smirked. "Mankey, use Low Kick!"
Charmander let out a small growl before breathing out Smokescreen, covering the battlefield in thick smoke.
Pidgey flapped her wings hard, creating Gust, clearing some of the smoke while pushing Rattata back.
Mankey rushed forward, attempting Low Kick, but Naruto's command came fast. "Charmander, now! Dragon Rage!"
Through the fading smoke, Dragon Rage burst forward, hitting Mankey directly.
Cassidy gasped. "What?! Butch, get it together!"
Butch groaned. "Mankey, shake it off!"
Ash clenched his fists. "Pidgey, finish it with Tackle!"
Pidgey swooped down, colliding into Rattata, knocking it out cold.
Naruto smirked. "Looks like it's over for you guys!"
Cassidy gritted her teeth. "This isn't over!"
Butch grabbed Mankey's Poké Ball, recalling it. "Yeah, next time, we'll win!"
Cassidy grabbed Rattata and both quickly retreated to their balloon, escaping into the night sky.
Misty sighed, looking down at her ruined bike. "Well, thanks for the help, but you still owe me for this, Ash!"
Ash sweat-dropped. "Y-Yeah... about that..."
Naruto chuckled. "Well, at least Team Rocket is gone—for now."
Nurse Joy nodded, relieved. "Thank you, both of you. You really helped protect the Pokémon here."
Naruto stretched. "No problem!"
Ash grinned. "Yeah, we can't let Team Rocket get away with stuff like this!"
Misty huffed. "Still, Ash—you owe me a new bike."
Ash groaned. "I know..."
Naruto grinned. "Oh, Ash, what did you do now?" he asked his younger brother with a stern tone.
Ash sweat nervously. "Sigh We got attacked by a flock of Spearow,"* he admitted.
Misty huffed, crossing her arms. "Yeah, and thanks to him, my bike is destroyed!" she said, glaring at Ash.
Naruto smirked. "Misty, you're so beautiful. I'll repay you for my idiot younger brother," he told her, chuckling.
Ash's face turned red. "HEY!" he shouted in protest.
Misty blinked, looking at Naruto with confusion. "Wait... how do you know my name? And who are you?"
Ash sighed. "That's my older brother, Naruto."
Misty raised an eyebrow. "Naruto, huh? Well, if you're offering to fix my bike, then you're already more useful than Ash!"
Naruto laughed. "I try."
Ash groaned. "You guys are ganging up on me..."
Misty smirked. "You kinda deserve it!"
Naruto grinned and pulled out his tool set after removing some items from his hiking bag.
Ash eyed something in Naruto's belongings. "Huh? Hey, where'd you get the new fishing rod?" he asked.
Naruto's grin widened. "Remember, I did odd jobs around town while you played with Leaf and Yellow," he told him with a sigh.
Naruto then got his tool set out and worked on fixing Misty's bike as best as he could. However, the tires were too bent, causing him to sigh in frustration.
Naruto turned to Ash with a serious look. "Ash, I'm going to tell you one thing, little brother."
Ash gulped as Naruto continued.
"If you mess up someone else's bike, I'm going to make you pay for it," Naruto warned.
Ash paled instantly.
Naruto then took out 100,000 Pokémon dollars and handed it to Misty.
He then put away his tools and sighed after handing Misty the money.
Misty's eyes widened in shock. "Wow, Naruto! You don't have to do this," she told him, a blush creeping onto her face.
Ash looked at the scene with a blank expression. "Bro, dude... you always have to do this," he muttered, shaking his head.
Naruto glanced at his younger brother with a sharp glare, making Ash go silent.
Misty raised an eyebrow. "So, do you flirt with everyone you see?" she asked curiously.
Naruto sighed. "Not everyone. Sometimes, I flirt just to cheer people up. But you're different. I actually meant it," he told her with a serious expression.
Misty blushed. "Thanks," she replied with a smile.
Naruto grinned. "How about a date after we rest? Then I'm heading into Viridian Forest to train and catch new Pokémon."
Misty paled slightly at the mention of Viridian Forest, knowing there were plenty of bug-types lurking there.
"Um… I think I'll go with Ash. Even though you paid me back, I feel like Ash should be the one to repay me," she stated with a smile.
Misty then continued. "And sure, I'll go on a date with you soon."
Naruto grinned, and they went off to do what they needed.
Naruto and Misty went on their date, and Misty had a blast while Ash trained his Pokémon, waiting for her to return.
Later, Naruto looked into Misty's eyes. "I had a great time, Misty," he told her.
Misty blushed. "Thanks."
Naruto grinned even more. "You're welcome. So... are we boyfriend and girlfriend?" he asked Misty with a curious expression.
Misty smiled. "Sure, why not?"
Soon after, they all went to bed, dreaming of the future ahead.
Before leaving the next day, Ash called his mother, then he and Misty said their goodbyes to Naruto—for now.
Naruto then heads to the Viridian Forest to catch new pokemon for his team and to train his pokemon and train himself.
to be continued